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33  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 
WIBSTIR.N.Y    14S80 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


Th« 
to  1 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


Thj 
poi 
ofi 
filn 


/ 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagde 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul^e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


n 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Peli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr6e  psut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6ti  filmias. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentairas  supplAmentaires; 


D 
D 
D 
0 
D 
0 
D 
D 
D 

n 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachdes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppldmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Saula  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6x6  filmies  A  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Ori< 
beg 
the 
sioi 
oth 
firs 
sioi 
or  i 


Th« 
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whi 

Maf 
diff( 
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reqL 
met 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

MX 

30X 

•/ 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Brock  University 
St.  Catharines 


L'exemplaire  filmd  fut  reproduit  grdce  ^  la 
g^n^rosit^  de: 

Brocl(  University 
St.  Catharines 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  oinding  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  images  suivantas  ont  6t4  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  an 
conformity  avec  (es  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  film^s  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commenqant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signif ie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmte  ^  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film^  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

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UBRAilY 


«» 


,*   ^  ijt  >jS^;'*; 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM 


AND 


SKETCHES  OF  THE  FALLS 


AND 


S  C  E  N  E  E,  Y    A  1)  J  A  C  E  N  T 


rmnr)  kdition — with  additions. 


I'.  Vi  V  V  A  [.  O  : 

STF.AM    PHJ:SS   of   .IllWF.TT,    THOMAS   .V,   CO. 

1850. 


**•« 


•>  • ', 


Entenul  arcordiiig  to  net  of  Congress,  in  tlie  year  1?1P,  in  llie  Clerk's  Office  of  the 

Northern  District  of  tlie  8tate  of  New-York,  hy 

JEWHTT,   ']'HOMAS   &   CO. 


u 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  accordance  with  patent  custom  we  have  christened  our 
book  ;  but  the  title  by  whicli  it  is  hereafter  to  be  distinguished 
from  other  pubhcations  on  the  same  subject,  is,  we  are  bound 
to  confess,  something  of  a  misnomer.  Tliis  is  not,  strictly 
speaking,  the  "  Album  of  the  Table  Rock," — it  is  a  melange 
made  up  of  excerpts  from  a  library  of  Albums.  The  ab- 
sence of  arrangement  and  classification  of  the  articles  is  the 
result  of  accident,  not  of  carelessness  or  design.  The  ma- 
terials are  selected  at  random,  and  the  grouping,  grotesque 
as  it  may  be,  is  in  perfecl  keeping  with  any  one  or  all  of  the 
books  from  which  the  gleanings  are  made.  If  seriousness 
and  solemnity  are  placed  in  ludicrous  juxta-position  with  levity 
and  lightness — that  is  the  doing  of  the  authors  of  ii  books 
themselves,  and  not  of  the  editor  of  this  compilation  from 
these  books.  Our  right  to  print  nonsense  is  not  a  jot  rnoi'e 
questionable  than  ihat  of  the  visitors  to  the  Falls  to  write  it 
in  these  public  books  ;  but  having  the  fear  of  the  judgment 
of  an  "intelligent  public"  before  our  eyes,  we  have  purposely 
abstained  fn  ni  making  any  more  licentious  use  of  our  un- 
dnuhtrd  })rivil('g(!  than  is  necessary  for  preserving  to  our  book 
the  character  of  an  A/fnini, 


IV 


INTRODUCTION. 


Much  tliat  is  written  is  not  fit  to  be  printed,  to  be  sure; 
and  it  is  deeply  to  be  regretted  that  the  innumerable  host  of 
writers  wlio  have  perpetrated  composition  in  the  volumes  of 
manuscript  now  before  us,  should  have  added  so  little  to  the 
general  stock  of  legitimate  and  permanent  literature.  But 
the  aciual  amount  of  frivolous  nonsense  which  constitutes  so 
large  a  portion  of  the  contents  of  the  books  from  which  our 
selection  is  made,  is  not  at  all  to  be  calculated  by  the  speci- 
mens now  and  thus  exhibited.  We  have  given  the  best ; 
and,  when,  in  any  degree,  redeemed  by  wit  or  humor,  we 
have  not  been  so  fastidious,  perhaps,  as  we  should  have  been, 
in  excluding  the  worst  specimens  of  this  gratuitous  author- 
ship— always  endeavoring,  however,  to  take  care  that  decency 
shall  not  be  outraged,  nor  delicacy  shocked  ;  and  in  this 
respect,  however  improbable  it  may  seem,  precaution  has 
been  b}'^  no  means  unnecessary. 

[n  criticising  this  "Album" — if  any  body  should  conde- 
scend to  honor  it  in  that  way — it  should  not  be  forgotten  that 
the  articles  of  which  it  is  composed,  are  written,  not  only  by 
persons  who  are  not  recognized  or  professed  authors,  but 
without  the  care,  time,  or  study,  usually  bestowed  on  compo- 
sition intended  for  the  pres- — generally,  it  is  to  be  presumed, 
without  any  premeditation  whatever.  In  making  up  the 
book,  we  have  not  unfreij^uently  been  oblige;!  to  add  and 
deduct,  as  the  case  might  be,  to  lines  which  their  authors 
evidently  meant  to  be  of  a  certain  measure,  in  order  to  bring 
them  within  the  rules  of  prosody.  If,  in  such  cases,  we  have 
weakene'd  or  mistranslated  an  idea,  the  best  excuse  will  be 
to  plead  guilty  ;  and  we  do  so,  accordingly,  with  this  cojuli- 
tion,  that  we  be  distinctly  chargeable,  at  the  same  time,  with 


i 


INTUODIXTION. 


milking  all  the  alterations  wjiicli  we  hav(3  made — and  liiey 
arc  not  few — on  purpose,  and  because  we  ihoug'lit  they  were 
amendments. 

It  is  likely — very,  that  there  are  numerous  plagiarisms  in 
this,  as  in  other  "Albums."  Nay,  wo  do  not  know  that  loc 
may  not,  in  s)me  cases,  have  made  a  readable  stanza,  licre 
and  there,  out  of  another's  literary  larceny.  But,  not  having 
read  all  the  printed  books  in  the  world,  we  put  in  ignorance  as 
our  plea  in  defence  of  the  unintentional  error. 

There  is,  perhaps,  little  originality  in  the  book,  upon  the 
whole;  but  the  idea  of  getting  up  such  a  work  has  not  hith- 
erto, to  our  knowledge,  been  acted  upon;  and  if  the  publica- 
tion of  it  should  be  attended  with  any  measure  of  success,  it 
may  have  a  tendency  to  elevate  and  purify  the  character  of 
these  Albums  and  Registers  hereafter;  inasmuch  as  when 
people  find  that  "there's  a  chiel  amang  them  takin'  notes,'' 
they  will,  in  all  likelihood,  be  more  guarded — perhaps  more 
studious,  too,  to  write  well  what  thev  do  Avrite;  and  let  us 
hope  that  in  the  next  edition  we  shall  be  able,  not  only  to  add 
much  that  may  be  interesting,  but  also  to  furnish  the  names 
of  our  numerous  contributors.  It  has  been  very  annoying  to 
us  in  compiling  the  present  w^ork,  to  find  such  an  extreme 
parsimony  of  signature ;  so  much  so,  that  in  many  cases  it  is 
difficult  to  tell  where  one  article  ends  and  another  beains  in 
the  oriu-inal. 

We  now  send  forth  our  little  pioneer,  not  witliout  hope 
that  it  will  meet  with  some  favor;  and  at  at  all  events,  without 
any  doubt  that  the  itlea  thus  suggested,  will  hereafter  be 
successfully  followed  out,  whether  failure  or  success  be  the 
recompense  of  our  present  undertaking. 

June,  1851, 


me 
of 


TABLE  ROCK  ALBUM. 


PART    I. 


NIAGARA    FALLS. 


There's  nothing  g 


rcator  bright  thou  glorious  Fall 


Thou  mn^'cst  not  to  the  fancy's  sense  recall, 

The  thunder-riven  cloud,  tlie  lightning's  leap, 

The  stirring-  of  the  chambers  of  the  deep, 

Earth's  emerald  green,  and  many  tinted  dyes, 

The  fleecy  whiteness  of  the  upper  skies, 

The  tread  of  armies  thickening  as  they  come, 

The  boom  of  cannon  and  the  beat  of  drum, 

The  brow  of  beauty  and  the  form  of  grace, 

The  passion  and  the  prowess  of  our  race, 

The  song  of  Homer  in  its  loftiest  hour, 

The  unresisted  sweep  of  human  power, 

Brittannia's  trident  on  the  azure  sea, 

America's  young  shout  of  liberty ! 

Oh  !  may  the  ^vaves  that  madden  in  thy  deep, 

There  spend  their  rage  nor  climb  the  encircling  steep,- 

And  till  the  conflict  of  thy  surges  cease, 

The  nations  on  thy  banks  repose  in  peace  ! 

MoRPETII. 


The  roaring  of  thy  waters,  O  Niagara,  would  have  struck 
me  with  terror,  had  I  not  been  long  familiar  with  the  roaring 
of  human  passion.     I  should  have  wondered  at  thy  eternal 


TAHLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


J/ 


motion,  luid  T  not  fell  ni\'  n\\  a  .-oul  to  be  infinitely  more  mo- 
tional;  at  thy  unchangeable  {)orpetuity  were  there  not  in 
niv  own  soul  a  voice  forever  cryinu" — "  throu^•h  the  au;es  1  am 
the  same,  and  my  years  end  not."  My  soul  has  felt  a  deeper 
fall  than  thy  waters,  0  Niagara,  and  ex])erienced  a  liigher 
rise  than  thy  sun-penciled  steams.  Allthat  tliou  hast,  and 
art,  most  woiidej't'ul,  long  ago  the  unseen  engendered  in  my 
soul;  and  I  hail  thee  now,  thouixh  seeinu,-  thee  for  the  first, 
time,  as  a  taniihar  friend.  Thou  art  the  actual  type  of  my 
ideal — and  yet,  not  the  highest,  for  I  believe  in  greater  than 
thou — for  is  not  the  Greater  present  in  every  conscious,  think- 
ing soul?  Hexhy  (t,  Wkight, 
June  8, 184;j.  /Jam  Stiri'i/,  Enrjland. 

The  subscriber  would  respectfully  inform  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  visiting  Ts'iagara  Falls,  that  he  has  taken  up  his 
residence  in  its  vicinity,  for  the  jiurpose  of  aiding  those  of  an 
ambitious  temperament,  in  their  efforts  at  immortalization. 
The  su  scriber  has  effected  arrangements  with  several  artists 
of  reputation  aiul  science,  and  will  be  haj)py,  at  all  times,  to 
supplv  those  who  favor  him  with  their  orders.  Signs  of  all 
descri  )tions  and  sizes,  both  of  board  and  tin,  and  in  Roman, 
(xrcek,  or  (irrrman  characters,  in  blue,  red,  or  green  colored 
letterii.;>',  lie  would  urge  upon  the  public,  the  superiority  of 
this  plan  over  the  old  one,  of  carving  the  name  on  the  barks 
of  trees.  IJy  adopting  his  plan,  greater  legibility  and  pub- 
licity is  obtained,  as  well  as  greater  durability.  The  sub- 
scriber has  engaged  several  e.\})ert  climbers,  who  will  fasten 
these  signs,  if  needed,  to  the  tops  of  the  liighest  trees,  or 
weld  them  on  the;  mo.st  remote  rocks.  But  to  those  j)rofesS" 
ing  to  be  their  own  artist.s,  he  would  say  that  he  intends 
having  u  full  supply  of  paints  and  brushes,  of  the  most  ap- 
proved make,  as  well  as  an  abundant  ([uantity  of  the  softest 
kind  uf  I'ed  ch;dk.  Such  gentlemen  as  prefer  the  time-ho- 
nored custom  of  carving  their  names,  can  obtain,  at  tin;  sub- 
scril)i'r's  jdacc,  the  be>t  Dailow  j'eiduiives  of  tlu;  most  approvi.'d 
patterns,  including  the  celebrated  stvle  used  by  the  facetious 
geiitlenian  that  cut  liis  way  through  the  pine  swamp.  A  call 
is  respectfully  solicited  from  all.      Uiudo  lircKTOi',  Artist. 

Cave  of  the  Winds. 


noro  mo- 
e  not  ill 
.ges  1  am 
a  deeper 
a  liiiiJier 
last,  and 
ed  in  my 
the  lirst 
c  of  my 
iter  than 
IS,  tlnnk- 

iHT, 

^nr/land. 

lies  and 

1  up  his 

se  of  an 

ilization. 

\\  artists 

imes,  to 

IS  of  all 

Roman, 

colored 

iority  of 

e  barks 

1  pub- 

le  sub- 

1  fasten 

'oes,  or 

)rofesS" 

intends 

ost  ap- 

S0ft(!St 

ine-ho 
0  sub- 
l)i'ov«.'d 

I'elious 

A  call 
Wfist. 
Mnda. 


\( 


'y 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM.  9 

I  have  gazed  on  nature — here — abroad, 
1  have  wandered  o'er  the  briny  deep; 
(Jf  all  thy  w<jrks,  AlmiglUy  (jud, 
This  is  the  greatest,  this  is  the  chief. 


A  roaring  cataract,  ever  foaming,  ever  rushing, 

Ever  boiling,  ever  raging,  ever  roaring,  ever  gushini 

From  some  groat  source,  which  1  dare  not  tell, 

It  dashes  madly  down,  as  though  to  the  very  pit  of  h»'ll. 

Pr(;sumptuous  man,  you  dare  to  write 

Of  nature's  works,  and  of  the  (n-eat  Architect  of  all! 

['end  down  thy  knee,  aiul  revere  his  might. 

Who  fbrmt'd  this  cataract,  who  made  this  fall, 

Hknkv  D.  O'Keillv. 

Forgive  these  lines;  they  emanate  from  the  pen  of  one 
who  derives  his  inspiration  from  the  sublime  works  which 
surround  him.  Poetry  is  not  my  forte.  I  was  never  formed  to 
be  a  brilliant  writer;  but  silence  is  not  the  only  admiration 
which  these  great  works  deserve.  I  have  been  allected,  aye, 
and  deeply  too,  by  incidents  which  occur  in  every  day  life,  by 
the  selfishness  of  mankind,  the  coldiu^ss  of  friends,  the  siiins 
of  mortality,  as  some  cherislied  companion,  some  favorite 
branch,  was  suddenly  lopped  from  the  great  tree  of  life;  nay, 
1  have  even  been  touched  more  nearly  than  this — I  have  lost 
homt!,  friends,  kindred — 1  am  a  solitary  wanderer  over  the 
world's  wide  waste-wl  have  sipped,  to  its  veiy  dregs,  the  cup 
of  affliction,  and  my  spirit  has  draidv  deep  fr(.<m  the  cup  of 
agony;  but  in  spite  of  all,  1  cannot  gaze  upon  this  spot  with- 
out feeling  how  little,  very,  very  little  and  insignilicant  are 
my  sorrows  when  compared  with  the  ills  of  the  many;  and 
power,  who,  in  one  moment,  can  level  all  mankind  with  the  dust 
especially  when  I  witness  these  great  signs  of  the  Creator's 
— can  root  (^ut  tin;  seeds  ^  evil  from  the  earth,  and  the 
germs  of  sorrow  from  the  heart,  planting  in  their  place  the 
everlasting  fruits  of  righteousness,  nf  peace,  of  comfoit,  and 


of  i-lad  tidinirs  unto  all. 


Henhy  1).  O'IIkii.i.v, 

J>uhU)i  Irolond. 


>* 


J 


10 


TARLn    HOCK 


AL13UM. 


"  O!   not  to  sing-  presumptuous  praise, 
In  studied  words  and  measured  lays, 

This  scenery  survey — 
Omnipotence  is  imaged  here, 
Let  vainer  liomago  disaj)pear, 

And  kneel  and  pray. 

I  have  stood  in  tlie  forest,  with  no  one  near  but  God,  and 
mused  upon  his  grandeur,  his  power,  and  his  grc;'t  mercy; 
while  the  low  winds,  sighing  among  the  trees,  semeod  as  if 
breathing  a  recpiiem  over  some  departed  soul.  I  have  stood 
upon  the  banks  of  Huron,  while  the  waters  were  lashed  into 
fury,  and  seemingly  striving  to  discover  some  helpless  obj(!Ct 
to  overwhelm  in  their  rage;  then  I  thought  "  IJuw  wonderful 
are  thy  works,  O  (rod,  and  thy  ways  past  tinding  out." 
Again,  I  have  stood,  Avhen  it  seemed  as  if  God  had  said  to 
the  waves,  '*  Peace,  be  still,"  and  their  low,  satisfied  murmur 
seemed  to  reply,  ''Thy  will,  O  Lord,  and  not  mine  be  dune." 
1  have  stood  on  the  banks  of  the  river  as  it  glided  peacefully 
by,  seeming  to  say,  "  Thus  shall  the  soul  of  the  just  man  be — 
yea,  their  peace  shall  ilow  as  a  river."  All  these  have  1 
seen;  but  when  1  saw  Niagara,  I  stood  dumb,  "lost  in  won- 
der, love,  and  praise."  Can  it  be,  that  the  mighty  (Jod  who 
has  cleft  these  rocks  with  a  sti'oke  of  his  power,  who  has  bid 
these  waters  roll  on  to  the  end  of  time,  foaming,  dashing, 
thundering  in  their  course;  can  it  bo  that  this  mighty  Being 
has  said  to  insignilicant  mortals,  "  I  will  be  Unj  God,  and 
thou  shalt  be  iiuj  people."  O  !  Lord,  thy  mercy  as  well  as 
thy  poiDer  enduret  forever!  Who  can  go  "  within  the  veil" 
which  thine  own  hand  hath  spread,  and  thus  separate  from 
the  busy  world,  witli  nought  but  the  thunderings  of  thy 
power  to  be  heard,  say  "there  is  no  God?" 

Roll  on!  thou  great  Niagara,  roll  on!  and  by  thy  ceaseless 
roaring,  lead  the  minds  of  mortals  from  Nature's  contenipla- 
tion  U)Ti  to  Nature's  (Jod.  J.  .E  IIowaud, 

2\  BarnttVs  Drawinq  Room,  )  Detroit  Mich. 

Oct.  17th,  184S.       f  * 


I 


May  the  mighty  waters  of  the  Niagara  smother,  in  tluir 
eternal  vortex,  all  the  animosities  and  rancours  that  may  ever 


h^ 

tl 

in 

tr 

b 


M 


f 
-J 


TEBLE    UOCK    ALBUM. 


11 


t  God,  and 
:;'t  mercy; 
mcod  as 'if 
liave  stood 
ashed  into 
less  obj(!ct 
wonderful 
ling-  out." 
id  said  to 
d  murmur 
be  dt)ne." 
peacefully 
man  be — 
30  have  I 
St  in  won- 
(lod  who 
10  has  bid 
,  dashing", 
lity  Bei no- 
God,  and 
IS  well  as 
the  veil" 
;'ate  from 
s  of  thy 

ceaseless 
>ntempla- 

oit  Mich. 


in  their 
nay  ever 


have  existed  between  Great  Britain  and  her  fair  daughter  of 
the  West,  and  remain,  to  succeeding  generations,  an  everlast- 
ing and  indestructible  monument  of  the  harmony^  which,  I 
trust,  will  never  cease  to  exist  between  two  nations,  (of  one 
blood,)  at  once  the  most  enterprising  and  the  most  enlightened 
in  the  world.  George  Mair. 

Mufj  2'Sd,  1849. 


Luego  (jue  las  cataratas  vi,  luego  siis  cuidas  me  dieron,  un 
no  se  ([ue,  (|ue  me  hicieron,  sosprendente  kxjue  vi. 

Miguel  de  Ajukia. 
Marro  25,  de  1850. 


Al/or  Dr.  A.  X.  S.  Wn-tlii,  Editor  de  la  Cronlca,  N,   Y. 

Caro  amigo:  IJartante  enfermo  acabo  de  llegar  a  las  cata- 
ratas del  Niagara,  pero  las  impresiones  que  en  mi  han  pro- 
ducido,  han  hecho  desaj)arecer  cari  complelamente  mi  mal. 
Pintar  a  v.  lo  que  acabo  de  ver,  me  es  imposible;  y  u  manana 
vuclvo  a  leer  las  descri|)ciones  f)ublicadas  por  varies  escritores 
aduocnados,  me  veire  de  ellos  y  Ids  du'e  ([ue  no  se  metan  a 
pintar  y  esplicar  la  naturaliza. 

De  vd,  afmo  amigo, 


J.  B.  GlIADEVEZ. 


7  de.  Juk)  1840. 


Mon  o])inion  est  qu  'un  jour  ei\  le  viendra  a  tcnre. 

B.  Beguerre. 
V  Jwi^  1849. 


On  voit  srt'vjint  des  tableaux  (pii  representent  los  chutes 
de  Niagara, — mais  cet  imposible  d'en  faire  la  moindre  idee,  et 
faut  en  venir  sur  le  lieu  pour  en  juger.  Beoueuue. 

Shotdd  cruel  fate,  by  some  son"U!  unconqiier'd  spell, 
(^iinsign  (tur  b<tdies,  souls  and  all,  lo  hell, 
May  falls  like  these  be  srnt  there  too. 
To  drown  us  out  of  such  a  monstrous  stew. 
xUig.  25,  '49.  T.  J.  R. 


M 


1 


12 


TABLE    ROUK    ALKUM. 


CHUTES  DE  NIAGARA. 


Roulez  votro  voix  dc  tonnerre  !  puissantcs  cataiactcs!  Ce- 
lui  qui  vous  croa  regarde  la-haut  cu  qui  se  passe  ici  l>as  a 
dc'crieie  scs  a'uvrcs  imnuiable,  c'est  entreprcndie  de  de'pas- 
iser  la  liniiUi  qu  'il  a  marquee  a  la  capacite  dc  riiomme ! 

Oh  !  vous  tous  (|ui  visitez  ces  chutes  immortelles,  abaissez- 
vous  devaut  la  main  de  Dieu!  Dieu,  parle  cette  voix  si  forle, 
I'homm**  doit  so  taire  et  adorer! 

Jeudi  Midi,  15  i\oy.,  1819.  Peteu  H.  Met. 


!t 


Hail  to  thee!  fair  rainbow:  brioht  emblem  of  hope — as  in 
the  mist  of  Niagara  thou  welcomest  the  risinuj  sun  in  liis? 
res))lendent  i^loYy.  M.  HexNdekson. 

January  13,  '49. 


ETERxXAL— BEAUTIFUL— SERENE— SUIJLIME. 

Eternal — prototype  of  God! 

When  lirst  the  morning  stars  did  sing, 

And  the  all-glorious  sun  was  placed  on  high; 

llow  didst  thou  rear  thy  awful  crest 

At  His  own  bidding,  and  thy  thunders  spoko 

Of  the  creation  boi'n — and  ever  onward 

Through  successive  ages  still  is  thy  impetuous  course, 

Bespeaking  praise  to  Him,  thy  great  Creator: 

Lo,  the  poor  Indian  doth  bend  before  tlu-e — 

And  in  thy  presence  feels  that  (Jod  is  nigh! 

And  the  great  spirit  near,  liim  to  protect: 

All  recognize  in  thee — power — greatness — vastness! 

Beautiful,  most  beautiful,  whether 

In  thy  murmuring  music — 

Or  thy  rrvci'brrating,  eclK^mg  thunders, 

And  thy  feathery  spray,  ami  rainbows, 

Bespeaking  hope  and  faith, 

And  as  thou  dashest  o'er  the  kdge, 

Behold  the  gorgeous  emerald  green, 


1 


Table  ruck  album. 


13 


actes!  Ce- 
^e  ici  l)as  a 
0  de  de'pas- 
mme ! 

-s,  abaissez- 
'oix  si  forio, 

H.  Mi;t. 


ope — as  in 
sun  in  his 

DiiKSON. 


Woven  iliioii^h  with  silvery  thread — 
And  then  t)iy  milky  flood  belovv, 
And  eddies  and  o'ei'lianL!iiiL>'  rocks, 
Call  I'ortli  the  exclamation,  "  be,autit"ul," 

Serene — thou  art  and  in  thy  presence 
We  do  feel  sweet  peace  to  steal 
O'er  us,  and  that  the  soul  all  lost 
To  earth  and  all  around,  doth  wing- 
It-  tlioui^hts  to  other  scenes, 
And  "sve  do  dwell  afar  'inonu'  tliose 
I.ong-  lost  and  dwellers  in  a  better  land. 
The  mind  is  lulled  to  a  repose 
And  ^\e  feel  in  a 
Ready  to  lean  on  God  and  trust  in  Hiui, 


ME. 


urse, 


ss! 


Sublime — surpassin.<ji;  far  all  else 

Of  thv  own  nature — thou  art  monarch 

Over  all  and  doth  feel  thy  power — 

Who  shall  stop  thy  way, 

Or  sa}'  unto  thy  Hoods,  How  not? 

Thou  wouldst  dasli  aside  the  net 

Woven  by  vain  man  to  hold  thee, 

And  rencl  them  as  the  brittle  reed — 

1  have  i[)aiil  my  tiibun.'  to  thee, 

And  now  will  I  repose — thou  hast  been 

To  me  a  lesson  deep  and  ineilaceable — 

And  I  leave  this  spot,  I  trust,  a  better  man. 

C.   W.  KOWLAM) 

Philadelphia,  Au<j.  '2,  1817. 


NIAGARA. 

Nini;-ara,  I  love  to  hear  thy  voice, 

And  while  I  ItM.k  t^n  thy  array  of  waters 

Cajeerin^'  onward  with  icsistless  for<*e, 

And  .•"howiiiL;  forth  the  luinht  and  j)ower  of  Him 

Who  ruleth  over  all — 'Tis  then  my  soul 


w 


14 


TABLE  RUCK  ALBUM. 


Is  tilled  with  awe,  and  I  can  realize 

That  (xod  is  liere,  that  he  is  present  now. 

Oh!  let  a  song  of  praise  ascend  to  ilim 

Who  gives  us  all  things  richly  to  enjoy, 

And  while  we  gaze  uj)on  this  glorious  scene, 

Let  us  remember  thou  dost  shadow  forth 

The  glory  of  Omnipotence. 

Awe-struck  we  oaze  on  these  o'erhanging  rocks, 

And  mark  thy  waters  as  they  onward  flow, 

And  hear,  Niagara!  thy  unceasing  roar. 

We  watch  the  clouds  of  spray  as  they  ascend, 

And  view  the  bright  inimitable  green, 

Too  dazzling  to  the  eve,  and  then  we  feel 

That  scenes  like  these,  stupendous  and  sublime, 

Must  lose  their  greatness  when  compared  with  Him 

Whose  presence  iills  the  immensity;  then  while  'tis  ours 

To  gaze  upon  llis  works,  may  we  be  led 

To  worship  and  adore;  to  live  for  him, 

That  when  earth's  scenes  shall  fail  before  our  eyes, 

We  may  behold  more  olorious  worlds  above, 

And  throuo'h  the  sacrilice  of  liim  who  2ave 


His  life  for  fall. 


lis  life  lor  lallen  man,  dwell  ever  more 
Where  love,  and  joy,  and  peace  forever  reign. 

Sarah  Pkatt. 
Mw  Yoric,  August  12,  1847. 


Niagara — like  thy  Maker,  great. 


S.  W.  H. 


LINES. 

On  rending  that  Die  only  words  spoki'ii  Ky  the  yonn«  Lady  recently  killed  at  the 
railsi,  alU'r  the  acciiiont,  \v(  ri'— '•  hut  inc  "— 

"  Let  nie,"  and  here  the  fast  receding  breath 
Denied  the  power  of  utterance — the  thrub 
or  that  young  heart  grew  faint;  Ah.  reckless  Death, 
How  didst  thou  then  of  hope  surviving  bosoms  rob  ! 


TV»LK    ROCK     ALliCJiM. 


15 


s. 


'tis  ours 


es, 


Pkatt. 


What  wfis  the  wish  thus  hss  th;in  half  expressed, 
That  latest  iraaov,  of  the  aching  brain, 
Imprisoni^l  in  the  fair  young  sulFerer's  Ijreast, 
Without  the  sireni-th  to  burst  the  feeble  chain. 

Was  it  a  prayer  that  she  might  longer  live, 
Addressed  to  Him  who  holds  the  scroll  of  fate, 
(Jr  did  she  wish  a  partino;  thouuht  to  aive 
In  trust  to  those  that  watching,  round  her  wait? 

Some  fond  remembrance  of  her  distant  liome, 
V/ht^re  late  perliaps  maternal  love  had  shed 
Its  hallowed  tlame, — and  when  resolved  to  roam 
Had  breathed  a  farewell  blessinu'  on  her  head. 

Ah.  who  so  fitting  now  to  claim  her  tlKUights, 
As  she  whosi;  hand  sustained  her  hel])less  years. 
Oh  that  the  action  of  that  hand,  were  brought, 
To  wipe,  with  tender  care,  those  dying  tears. 

See,  in  tliis  theatre  of  nature's  might, 
In  boundltjss  strength  the  dashing  waters  rush, 
With  headlong  fury    o'er  the  dizzy  height. 
And  threaten  e'en  the  solid  rock  to  crush. 


H. 


"ed  at  tlie 


But  mark  the  contrast  I  On  that  bed  of  pain 
The  form  reclines  of  nature's  noblest  art. 
Whose  strongest  energy  is  spent  in  vain, 
To  breathe  the  last  conception  of  her  heart. 

Oreat  Ruler  of  the  destinies  of  Man  ! 
Teach  us  to  reverence  thy  dark  decree; 
Foi'give  the  dai'lni^-  murmur  at  thy  plan, 
And  make  us  yield  and  humbly  trust  to  theu. 

The  last  words  of  the  dying  girl  may  be 

The  first  to  form  the  Christian's  hopc'ful  prayei'  ; 

Trusting  her  h;ip|)y  spirit  is  with  thee  ; 

lie  cries,  "  O  Father  '  Let  me  '  join  her  there." 


16 


TAHLK     KOCK    ALBOM. 


0  thou,  Niagara  !  no  Elo(iuonce  can  set  forth  thy  ovvn 
native,  untiring,  ceaseless  Kloquence — roll  on  ! — And  you, 
ye  Poets,  staad  abashed,  nor  dare  attempt  impossibilities. 

D. 


BY  REQUEST. 

Nian;ara  !  Monarch  of  earth's  wonders, — reflection  of 
Almiglitiness, — in  thy  cele>tial  beauty,  and  thy  dread  mag- 
nilicence,  and  ceaseless  thunder  song — roll  on  thy  course — 
echoing  ever  the  nothingness  ot"  man — the  boundless  majesty 
of  God  ! 

T.  T.  Waterman. 

Auffiist  31,  1847. 

A  VOLUNTARY. 

• 

One  would  think  that  emotions  of  sublimity,  knocked 
common  sense  into  "pi"  and  stirred  up  foaming  fancies  in 
the  intellect,  something  like  the  boiling  waters  in  this  double 
and  twisted  caldron  down  here  :  after  lookino-  over  the 
Albums  around  here.  Why  the — ISIanimoth  Cave — don't 
men  know  what  they  are  going  to  write  before  they  begin, 
and  say  it  so,  they  and  some  others  know,  after  it  is  written. 

A  Kentuckian. 


FAREWELL  ! 

Thou  Lord  of  water  power — in  thy  Majestic  Glory — thou 
art  all  and  more  than  all  my  soul  conceived  thee, — I  never 
dreamed  thy  wonders  to  be  so  numberless  and  vast !  beauty 
in  union  with  grandeur — here  fill  and  elevate,  and  satisfy  my 
soul. 

Sept.  1,  LS47. 


ml 


ihk 
d. 


While  standing  under  the  horse-shoe  Fall, 
Didn't  /t  look  grand — ani]  i/ou  feel  small  ? 

Thomas  A.  Dwvn,  Duhlin,  Ireland. 


TAnLE    ROCK  ALKUM. 


IV 


h   thy  own 
-And    you, 
ibilities. 
D. 


Section   of 
'■ead  mag- 
course — 
!s  majesty 

iJllMAN. 


knocked 
-incies  in 
5  double 
»ver  the 
—don't 
begin, 
ritten. 

flAN. 


Majc  'i  '■  oi-oatncss  sits.,  Niaiiara,  upon  thy  brow, 
And  ■>'('}•  thy  rocks  in  thundering  orandeur  roll  ; — 
We  gaze,  in  silent  wonder  wrapped  and  humbly  bow, 
To  thee,  ()  (rod,  who  thus  doth  thrill  our  inmost  soul. 

J».   T.   ROMAINE  AND  LadY- 

xiUmny,  K  T.,  Sept.  20th,  1847. 


This  is  but  tlie  breathinos  of  the  great  "1  Am  !''      What 
must  his  anoer  be? 


.Mingled  with  mercy. 


Roll  on  thou  dark  green  flood,  roll  on,  time  measurest  not 
thine  age — eternity  can  but  express  thy  end, — Creation's 
driwn  witnessed  thy  earliest  u'ush, — Creation's  doom  can  but 
extinguish — thy  perpetual  rush. 


Oh  !   Ood  !  !    Great   arc  thy  works  !     Oh  !  Man  '  !    How 
small  aic  thine,  when  placed  in  the  same  view. 

A   CoMSTOCK. 

Juli/  30/ A,  184:7.  Sandwich  Islands. 


—thou 

never 

)eauty 

fy  my 


Tlie  Falls  of  "Niagara  "  fir  surpass  any  natural  curiosity 
in  the  known  world.  No  human  eye  that  has  not  beheM 
this  cataract,  can  Ibrnt  any  idea  of  its  greatness.  Like  all 
the  works  of  God's  creation,  ic  shows  forth  to  his  glory. 

Wako  Cai{pi;ntei{, 

August  3rd,  1847.  Westchester  Co.,  K  Y. 


d. 


Niagara — Here  Nature  holds  its  sway, 
While  man,  with  both  dt'light  and  awe,  doth 
Gaze  and  wonder  at  its  magnilicence. 


Boz. 


18 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


Niagara — each  hour,  each  hour — each  day,  each  day, 

The'^rich,  the  poor,  the  gentle  pass  your  way ; 

The  tradesman  from  his  toil  released, 

Seeks  beauties  that  our  God  decreed 

To  flow  from  Niagara;  mighty  as  before, 

You'll  live  for  ages,  when  ages  shall  be  no  more, 

Made  by  that  power,  that  power  that  man  can  ne'er  destroy. 

Our  Lord,  our  everlasting  God,  from  all  eternity. 

Steadfastly  you  stand  as  ever  seen  by  those, 

That  thus  appreciate  the  works  which  God  bestows; 

Great,  beautiful  h'alls  !  you'll  continue  great, 

And  live  in  grandeur,  when  diClerent  is  our  state, 

When  old  age  comes,  or  sad  despair, 

'Tis  thus  to  thee,  oh  !  God  we'll  pour  our  prayer, 

Falls,  mighty  Falls,  aloft  with  moistened  eyes, 

I  send  my  humble  gratitude  with  tearful  sighs, 

To  God  who  ever  sends  us  hope  and  trust, 

Though  we  are  sinful  he  is  just, 

If  we  ask  pardon,  our  mighty  God  is  kind. 

And  gives  us  hope  in  prayer,  in  peace  of  mind, 

Niagara  Falls!  the  mighty  wo:k  of  God, 

1  feel  how  great,  how  wondrous  is  our  Lord. 

Charlotte  B . 

August  15,  184-7. 


No  man  should  ever  leave  this  great  display  of  God's 
works,  without  entering  under  the  Falls,  where  is  afforded 
the  most  sublime  of  the  grand  scenes  here  abounding.  There 
he  can  sit  and   calmly  meditate,  shut  out  from  every  thing* 


but  God  and  his  most  grand  work 


An  Observer. 


Let  not  vanity  and   presumption  attempt  a  task  too  great 
for  inspiration.  B, 


'Twas  great  to  speak  a  world  from  naught, 


Tvvas  greater  to  redeem. 


T.  H.  Dashiell,  Baltimore. 


^^^ 


TADLE    llOVli    ALIJUM. 


19 


*ch  dc 


'y> 


"e'er  destroy, 


7: 

iows ; 


B- 


of  God's 

afforded 

!"•    There 


0  great 
B. 


^/•e. 


Mr.  AND  Mks.  Stephrn  [>.  Sukhvvood,  and  company,  of 
Jamesville,  Onondaga  County,  N.  V.,  say  : — "  We  have 
visited  the  'niiolily  cataract'' on  llie  American  and  Cana- 
dian shore,  and  (ivery  spot  of  interest  connected  witli  both — 
but  this  Mnsewa  and  Camera  Obscura  is  truly  the  most 
interesting  of  a!I;  situated,  as  it  is,  with  such  a  fine  view  of 
the  Falls,  I  trust  no  American  will  leave  without  calling 
here,  or  spendino-  a  day  at  least  on  British  >S'(>i7." 

Sept.  24,  1847. 


King-s  of  the  earth  and  all  people;  princes  and  all  judges 
of  the  earth;  both  young  men  and  maidens  ;  can  ye  stand 
and  gaze  upon  the  mighty  Hood  that  rolls  its  torrents  to  the 
dee])  and  not  "  Praise  the"  Lord."' 

E.  E.  B. 


It  is  utterly  impossible  for  «??y  Jiian  to  give  expression  to 
the  ov(M-wholniing  feeling  he  experiences  on  beholding  this 
display  of  the  Great  Creator's  works.  Here  is  raaniiested 
on  no  rainu'e  scale,  the  glory  of  "him  who  holds  the  sea 
in  the  hollow  of  his  luinil."  This  roar  of  Niagara  is  but  a 
song  of  praise  to  the  Almighty  (rod. 

R.  H.  Ball,  Baltimore,  Md. 
July  24,  1847.  * 


I  came  from  Wall  street, 
To  see  this  w^'iter  sheet; 
Having  seen  this  water  sheet, 
I  return  to  Wall  street. 


Jvlu  24,  1847. 


Bryant. 


Ni;igar;i   Falls  is  a  stereotype  proof  sheet  of  the  Omnipo- 
tence of  the  Almighty. 

Jamks  T.  FiiAZKE,  of  Glasc/oin,  Scotland, 

noiu  of    Wouster,  Ohio. 


20 


TAISLK    ROCK    ALliUM. 


Iloast  not  tliy  greatness,  Yankees  tall, 
Tliy  pride  and  arrogance  ma}'  catch  a  fall. 


To  view  Niagara  Falh  one  daj', 
A  parson  and  a  tayior  took  tlieir  Avay  , 
The  parson  cried  whilst  wrapt  in  wonder. 
And  listening  to  the'  cataract's  thunder, 
fjord  !    how  the  works  amaze  our  eyes, 
And  iill  our  hearts  with  vast  sur[)rise; 
"^riie  tailor  merely  made  this  note, 
Lord  !  what  a  place  to  sponge  a  coat ! ! 


\^isitors,  when  e'er  you  wish 

To  feast  (^n  jioultry,  flesh  and  lish, 

And  right  good  wine, 
Leave  your  fare  ficross  the  river, 
And  like  a  hearty  right  good  liver, 

At  the  Pavillion  dine. 


8ince  first  I  saw  thee  thundering  on, 
There's  nothing  of  thy  beauty  gone. 
And  though  three  years  have  passed .Away, 
Thou  thunderest  on  with  all  thy  spray. 
1847.  Charlotte  Blanche  Malcolm. 


Spirit  of  Homer!  Thou  whose  song  has  rung 

From  thine  own  Greece  to  this  su[)reme  abode 

Of  nature — this  great  fane  of  Nature's  God, 

Breathe  on  mv  heart — oh  !  touch  the  fervid  tongue 
11*'  .  ^ 

Of  a  fond  votaress  kneeling  on  the  sod. 

Sublim.e  and  beautiful!  your  shrine  is  here — 

Here  'neath  the  azure  df)me  of  heaven  you're  wed — 
Here,  on  a  rock  that  trembkis  o'er  your  bed. 

Your  blended  sorcery  claims  both  pulse  and  tear, 

Controls  life's  source,  and  reigns  o'er  heart  and  head. 


m 


TAfiLK    HOCK    ALBUM. 


21 


ail. 


r. 


Mal 


COLM. 


do 


Terrific,  but  O!  beautiful  abyss! 

If  I  should  trust  mj^  fubcinated  eye, 

Or  lisfen  to  thy  maddi'iiiiig-  melody, 
Sense,  form,  WDuld  spring  to  meet  thy  white  foam's  kiss — 

Be  lapped  in  thy  soft  rainbow  once,  and  die* 

Color,  depth,  height,  extensive,  all  unite 

To  chain  the  spirit  by  a  look  intense. 

The  dolphin  in  his  clearest  seas,  or  thence 
Ta'en  by  S')me  prince  to  oivc  his  luve  deliuht, 

Dies  not  in  chang-eful  tints  more  delicately  bright.* 

Look,  look!  tliere  comes  o'er  yon  pale  green  expanse, 
Ik^yond  the  curtain  of  this  altar  vast, 
A  glad  young  swan — the  smiling  beams  that  cast 

Light  from  her  jjluracs,  have  lured  her  soft  advance — 
vShe  nears  the  fatal  brink — her  graceful  life  is  past. 

Look  up;  nor  her  fond  foolish  fate  disdain — 
An  eagle  rests  upon  (he  wind's  sweet  breath: 
Feels  he  the  charm?  woos  he  the  scene  beneath? 

He  eyes  the  sun,  nerves  his  dark  wing  again, 

Remembers  clouds  and  storms,  an  i  Hies  the  lovely  d(iath. 

•Niagara!   wonder  of  this  western  world, 

And  all  the  world  beside — hail,  bi-auteous  Queen 
Of  cataracts!"  an  angel  who  had  been 

O'er  heaven  and  earth  thus  said;  his  bright  wings  fui'led, 
And  knelt  to  Nature  iirst  on  this  wild  cliff  unseen. 

Mauta  del  Occident!:. 


ngue 


e  wed — 


The,  Yankees  generally  Lake,  and  keep  too,  whatever  they 
set  thrir  hearts  upon  having. 

OXH:  OF  TIISM. 


id  head. 


^Wlicn  tliCHii  linos  wort'  wiittL'i)  in  tlio  Aihniii,  tin;  foiirtli  statr/.i  was  oniitto;!, 
lest  It  iiiiiihl  (icrasioii  some  cunfusinn  ul'  iiiia.^'cry  ;  but  ilio  hoauiil'iil  tints  rcllortod 
hy  (ho  waior  uT  llic  ratarnct  arc;  oao  (jT  its  [irinripal  alirariiniis,  ami  ho  ovartly 
rosonihli'il  those  ot  tiio  ii<il|iliin,  that  thi'  idea  of  au:  was  cuniinually  in  tht;  MiTftTT-al 
tlio  wrili-r,  wliilc  viewing-  ihc  scone  Iroai  tlio  'I'ahh}  Rui-t;. 


22 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


Great  spirit  of  the  Wtaters  !  I  have  come 

From  fortii  mine  own  indomitable  homc,f 

Far  o'er  the  billows  of  the  eternal  sea, 

To  breathe  my  heart's  deep  homage  unto  thee, 

And  gaze  on  glories  that  might  wake  to  prayer 

All  but  the  hopeless  victim  of  despair. 

Flood  of  the  forest,  fearfully  sublime, 

Restless,  resistless  as  the  tide  of  time. 

There  is  no  type  of  thee — thou  art  -lone, 

In  sleepless  glory,  rushing  on  and  on. 

Flood  of  the  desert!  thou  hast  been  to  me 

A  dream;  and  thou  art  still  a  mystery. 

Would  I  liad  seen  thee,  years  and  years  agone, 

While  thou  wcrt  yet  unworshipped  and  unknown, 

And  thy  fierce  torrent,  as  it  rushed  along, 

Through  the  wild  desert  poured  its  booming  song, 

Unheard  by  all  save  him  of  hndly  mood — 

The  bronzed  and  free-born  native  of  the  wood. 

How  would  my  heart  have  quivered  to  its  core, 

To  know  its  God,  not  all  revealed  before! 

In  other  times  when  1  was  wont  to  roam 

Around  the  mist  robed  mountain  peaks  of  home. 

My  fancy  wandered  to  this  VVestern  clime. 

Where  all  the  haunts  of  nature  are  sublime; 

And  thou  wert  on  my  th'eam  so  dread  a  thing, 

1  trembled  at  my  own  ima.iningv 

Flood  of  the  forest!  1  have  been  with  thee, 

And  still  thou  art  a  mystery  to  me. 

Years  will  roll  on  as  they  have  rolled,  and  thou 

Wilt  speak  in  thunder  as  thou  speakest  now; 

And  when  the  name  that  1  inscribe  to-day 

Upon  thine  altar  shall  have  passed  away 

J''rom  all  remembrance,  and  the  lav  I  siiiir 

trhall  long  have  been  but  a  ibi'g(»(ten  thing— 

'Jhou  wilt  be  sung,  ami  other  hands  than  mine 

Shall  wreathe  a  worthier  chaplet  for  thy  shiini*. 

tiKOKCili  MkN/.IEH, 

AiK/ust,  18;^  5. 


t  rirotlniul. 


TABLE    KOCK    ALBUM. 


23 


to  thee, 
prayer 


Mighty  water!  headlong  tumbling 
Down  the  vast  abyss  below, 
Ceaseless  pouring,  endl(.;ss  roaring 
Music  like  this — semper  arno. 

(J.  W.  VViNSLo\v,  Buffalo. 


igone, 
nknown, 

ng  song, 

'Ood. 
core, 


Jiome, 


^  > 


loil 


God  spake  tlie  world  into  being,  and  it  was  created.  He 
made  all  tiie  wonders  of  the  oartli,  and  this  the  greatest  of 
all.  A.  P.  M. 


To  hear  this  water  roar, 

To  see  this  water  pour, 

Is  certainly  much  more, 

Than  I've  heard  or  seen  before. 


To  hear  a  jackass  bray 
Is  notliing  new  to-day — 
You  can  neither  sing  nor  say; 
So  you  may  go  away. 


IT.  FOOTE. 


A.  Leog. 


You  liad  better  toddle  too, 

For  you're  block  heads  through  and  througli- 

'Pon  my  honor,  it  is  true — 

Cock-a-doodle-doo. 

Francis  Ukad. 


le 
le. 


Good  morning,  how  d'ye  do? 
flow  miieh  wiser,  pray  are  you? 
Than  the  other  stupid  two? 
Tell  me  that  atid  tell  me  true. 


Dlrfiam. 


Roll  o!),  Niagara,  ns  tho\i  liast  ever  rolled, 
Since  tliy  great  Maker  called  tlu-e  into  being; 


2i 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


But  wilt  thou  never  stop?  O,  yes,  thou  wilt, 
When  the  great  Archangel  souiula  the  linal  trump — 
One  foot  upon  the  sea,  and   one  on  shore — 
And  swears  that  time  sluill  be  no  more  forever; 
The  thunderino;  sound  that  swells  upon  (nir  ears, 
Will  then  be  silenced,  and  the  mighty  Hood, 
That  pours  ifself  o'er  the  tremendous  precipice, 
Will  cease  to  be. — There  i-;  but  Oxn  aloxk — 
The  tirst,  last,  ever-living  Thinitv, 
That  can  control  thee  whensoe'er  he  will. 

H.    B.  TuTTLE. 

Lansiu(/bw(/h,  I^.  V. 


nl 
al 
ai 


Mem. — This  atmosphere  is  terribly  destructive  to  starched 
colhus,  and  takes  the  curls  out  of  one's  whiskers  with  amaz- 
ing  celerity. 

Chaklks  Augustus  Mandeville. 

The  pretty  creature ! — It  should  have  put  itself,  wduskers 
and  all,  into  a  band  box. 

Sjiould'nt  It. 


Venl,  viillt  and  gave  up  the  vk'i. 

JuLIUd  CyESAU  ReDIVIVUS. 


The  mi'^hty  cataract  of  Niagara  rushing  over  the  rocks, 
and  the  deep  waters  of  the  Mi.ssissipj)i  roMing  onward  to  the 
ocean,  are  everlasting  evidiuices  of  the  [Jiowess  and  etliciency 
of  the  ^iiiiericaii  MUU'ia! 

his 

Anurkw    y,  Jackson. 

mark. 


i*'arewell,  O  Ni;igaia!  lolling  in  splendor. 

Thy  beauty  is  matchless,  tin   power  is  sn])reme  ; 

And  now,  ere  I  leaNe  thee,  mv  homage  1  riMxh'r  — 
To  return  to  the  world  I  must  rouse  from  my  dream. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


25 


It, 

lI  trump- 

■  curs, 

i, 

pice, 


•    i^.   TuTTLE. 

ive  to  starched 
''•s  with  umaz. 

AX  DEVI  LLP:. 

;self,  wliiskers 
)L'ld'nt  It. 

UjDlVIVUS. 


'■  tho  roclvs, 
luard  (<)  (ho 

kI  <'lliri(jnc.y 


^i 


In  a  trance  I  have  been,  while  sublimest  emotions 
Have  crowded  tlie  chambers  of  soul  and  of  thought 

But  my  dreams  of  delight  and  my  deepest  devotions 
Are  faded  away — there^s  a  hole  in  my  coat! 


Now,  I'll  tell  you  what  it  is — these  here  water  works  ain't 
nothin'  what  they  are  cracked  up  to  be — be  they?  They're 
a  downright  imposition — that's  a  fact.  They're  amazin*  nice 
and  sublime  and  roarin',  sure  enough;  but  what  on  airth  be 
they  good  for  ?  As  our  schoolmaster,  Job  Diddler,  (he'd  aa 
awful  sight  of  larnin' — had'nt  he?) — Well,  as  Job  Diddler 
used  to  say,  '•  Fox  eat  Peter  NichoV* — great  cry  and  little 
wool.  They  ain't  good  for  nothin'  for  manufacturin' ;  and 
they  completely  spile  navigation — that's  a*fact 

Sam  Slick,  Jun. 


Hark,  hark!  'tis  Niagara's  mighty  roar, 

As  o'er  the  ledge  St.  Lawrence'  waters  pour. 

Father  Omnipotent!  in  this  we  see 

An  emblem  fit  of  vast  eternitv ; 

As  downwards  in  their  course  the  waters  flow, 

And  then  are  lost  in  the  abyss  below, 

So  haste  thy  creatures  onward  to  that  bourne, 

From  whence  no  travellers  shall  e'er  return. 


vf. 


In-  - 

i»V  dream. 


Roll  on,  great  River,  with  resistless  force. 

Which,  like  old  Time,  stays  not  for  human  will ; 

For  who  shall  stop  him  in  his  viewless  course. 
Or  who  shall  bid  thy  mighty  voice  be  still  ? 

*Vox  et  prctera  nihil. 
B 


2^6  TABLE    ROCK   ALBUM. 

None  but  the  power  that  taught  ye  both  to  flee, 
Thou  to  thy  misty  gulf  of  clouds,  while  he 

Rolls  likewise  onward,  changing  all  but  thee — 
So  both  shall  stop  but  in  eternity. 

Thy  course  is  onward,  downward,  free  and  loud, 

While  his  is  silent,  dim,  but  no  less  sure. 
He  creeps  along,  scarce  noticed  by  the  crowd, 

Whilst  thou  dost  stun  the  senses  with  the  roar 
Of  thy  tremendous  cataracts,  which  call 

Each  to  the  others,  and  all  ears  appal; 
Leaping  in  thunder  from  thy  rocky  wall, 

And,  like  a  hero,  greatest  in  thy  fall. 

HENiiy  Lindsay, 


■^m 


NIAGARA  TO  ITS  VISITORS. 

0  ye,  who  come  from  distant  climes, 
To  visit  me  and  read  my  rhymes, 
Ere  you  condemn  my  noise  and  vapor, 
Read  what  1  have  to  say  on  paper. 
Through  Lake  Superior,  it  true  is, 

1  descend  from  old  St.  Louis. 

I'm  a  wise  child,  you  see,  and  rather 
Proud  to  know  and  own  my  father. 
Michigan  nurses  me  in  her  lap; 
Huron  feeds  with  S\ginaw  pap; 
St.  Clair  then  undertakes  to  teach, 
And  tries  to  modulate  my  speech. 
Through  EiiiE  next  I  guide  my  stream, 
And  learn  the  power  and  use  of  steam. 
I'm  christened  next,  but  losing  my  humble- 
Ness,  I  get  an  awkward  tumble. 
And  though  musicians  all  agree, 
I  pitci)  my  outcry  loud  on  E, 
Sure  two  such  tumbles  w«ll  may  vex, 
And  make  mc  fr<.'llj  up  Double  X. 


Tin. 


th  to  flee, 
lile  he 
I  thee — 


and  loud, 
ure. 
irowd, 
I  the  roar 


uy  Lindsay, 


IS. 


)le. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 

Although  tlie  Kapids  rather  flurry  me, 
And  into  wheeUng-  whirlpools  hurry  me. 
The  Devil's  Bole  does  most  me  scare,  I  oh/ 
And  makes  me  glad  to  reach  Ontario. 
Travelled  so  far,  'tis  thought  of  vital 
Importance  I  should  change  my  title; 
And  though  it  should  be  his  abhorence, 
They  make  my  sponsor  old  St.  Lawrence. 
The  course  I  steer  is  rather  critical ; 
For,  not  much  liking  rows  political, 
'Tvvixt  both  mv  favors  I  divide — 
Yankee  and  British,  on  each  side. 
Thus  equally  I  share  my  smiles. 
And  wandering  'mongst  the  "  Thousand  Isles," 
With  equable  and  constant  motion, 
I  gladly  run  to  meet  the  ocean. 
Once  my  deep  cavern  was  a  mystery. 
But  now  'tis  known  like  Tom  Tiiumb's  history, 
By  ladies,  gents,  natives  and  strangers; 
Led  on  by  Barnett  through  my  dangers, 
They  bid  adieu  to  fear  and  doubt, 
And  come  to  try  my  "cold  without;" 
While  those  who  like  it  best,  can  get 
A  good  supply  of  "  heavy  wet." 
I  fear  no  money-brokers'  pranks — 
They're  welcome  to  run  on  my  hanlcs. 
I  pay  no  money  nor  *'  mint  drop," 
Yet  dare  them  all  to  make  me  stop, 
I'm  proof  against  malignant  shafts; 
Am  ready  still  to  honor  drafts; 
Have  a  large  capital  afloat, 
More  current  than  a  U.  S.  note ; 
And  I  can  liqrndate  all  debt, 
Though  much  is  deio  from  me;  and  yet. 
About  my  self  I  often  vapor — 
But  nc^'er  before  have  issued  paper. 
You  may  think  this  is  a  brag  or  a 
Boast  of  Truly  Yours,  Niagara. 

FalU  Hall  Cave,  /lal/pcuit  11,  > 

July  25,  18;{7.  i  H.Lindsay. 


'27 


M. 


28 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


These  are  the  great  Niagara  Falls, 
Down  which  Sam  Patch  did  jump; 
The  people  said  he'd  break  his  neck — 
He  only  hurt  his  rump ! 

The  General. 


Fair  Albion,  smiling,  sees  her  sons  depart 

To  trace  the  birth  and  nursery  of  art. 

Noble  their  object,  glorious  are  their  aims, 

They  go  behind  the  Falls — and  write  their  names! 


a 


I 


I 


written     directly     after    going     "  WITHIN    THE    VEIL"    OF 

MAGARA. 
By  Qrenville  Mcllen. 

O  God ! — my  prayer  is  to  Thee,  amid  sounds 
That  rock  the  world — I've  seen  Thy  majesty 
Within  the  veil— I've  heard  the  anthem-shout 
Of  a  great  ocean,  as  it  leapt  in  mist 
About  my  thunder-shaken  path — Thy  voice, 
As  ceuturies  have  heard  it,  in  the  rush 
And  roar  of  waters.     I  have  bent  my  brow 
Beneath  Thy  rainbow,  and  Iiave  lifted  up 
My  shriek  'midst  these  vast  cadences — I've  seen 
What  is  the  wonder  of  Eternity, 
And  what  this  visioned  nothingness  of  man. 
Table  Rock,  August  22,  1838. 


Can  man  stop  yonder  cataract  in  its  course  ? 
Can  man  trace  up  the  Almighty  to  his  source.* 
And  cannot  man  in  yonder  torrent  see 
A  striking  emblem  of  eternity? 

*ThiB  line  is  unmitigated  noneenBe. 


if. 


v1 


TABLE    ROCK    ALRUM. 


29 


IE  General. 


names! 


THE    VEIL"    OF 

nds 

-Sty 

ihout  * 

ce, 

IV 

3  seen 
I. 


Streams,  rivers,  lakes,  are  buried  in  thy  flood, 
And  thy  green  waters  have  been  tinged  with  blood, 
Yet  comes  the  day  when  swallowed  thou  wilt  be 
In  the  vast  ocean  of  eternity. 

With  colors  brilliant,  arch — so  bright  its  rays, 
Thy  beauteous  Rainbow  to  frail  man  displays — 
'  That  wondrous  bow  which  at  God's  word  appeared, 
When  Noah,  worshipping,  rejoiced  and  feared, 
And  saw,  by  faith,  it  was  the  covenant  given, 
That  man  should  be  restored — the  heir  of  heaven. 

Then  roll,  thou  mighty  torrent;  sound  thy  thunder. 
Dash  down  thy  floods  to  wondering  man  a  wonder. 
Till  forth  shall  sound  than  theirs  a  louder  voice. 
To  bid  creation  tremble  or  rejoice — 
Then,  shall  thy  thunderings  and  thy  rolling  end, 
And  God  descend,  man's  angry  Judge  or  friend — 
Then  shall  evaporate  thy  mighty  Fall, 
Midst  burning  worlds,  and  God  be  all  in  all. 

J.  E. 
Sandwich^  IT.  C. 


This  is  ihe  cataract  whose  deathless  name 
Lives  in  itself — it  haih  no  need  of  fame. 
It  is  itself  eternal.     Look  and  trace 
'•Dar'st  thou  forget  me,"  written  in  his  face. 
'Tis  its  own  record — 'tis  the  livinir  throne 
Of  independence,  rolling,  rolling  on — 
Spurning  alike  resistance  and  control, 


And  breathing  terror  on  the  human  soul. 


G.  J.  K. 


ce. 


If  a  feller  should  slide  down  from  ofl'  a  slippery  stick, 
'Twould  be  worse  nor  any  Cat-a-lip-tic 
A.nd  if  he  should  go  blind,  'tis  a  plain  fact 
'twould  be  a  Cataract. 


From  view-ino- 


30 


TABLE    ROCK   ALBUM. 


"Pro  di-gious"!  as  Mr.  Shaw  says,  (quoting  from  Domi- 
nie Sampson.)  Sublime!  says  Mr.  Taylor,  the  second  of  our 
party.  The  grandeur  is  inexpressible,  according  to  Mr. 
Hastings.  Mr.  Harmon  observed,  that  it  exceeded  his  most 
sanguine  expectations. 

K  G.  D.  thinks  it  the  best  "  got  up"  thing  he  ever  saw. 

Very  queer !  as  the  apostle  elegantly  remarks  in  the  origi- 
nal tongue.  O.  P.  Q. 


Fearful  in  majesty  and  glory  thou ! — 
Mutely  we  stand  and  gaze  upon  thy  flood, 
As  erst  the  red  man  gazed,  ere  yet  the  foot 
Of  our  pale  fathers  trod  these  solitudes. 
Still  rings  far  up  to  heaven  thy  mighty  hymn, 
Which  rose  to  hail  the  first  glad  morn  of  earth, 
Nor  will  it  cease  till  time  shall  be  no  more. 

Josephine. 


"  On  to  the  curtained  shrine — ay,  pass  within 

Into  that  trembling  temple  of  the  Avorld ; 

And  there  stoop  mid  the  slorm.     'Twill  visit  you 

In  robes  of  darkness  that  will  seem  like  night 

Fallen  on  mid- day.     'Twill  come  on  you  in  song 

Gigantic,  but  melodious — chorused  still, 

Like  a  mad  ocean  heaved  on  iron  shores 

By  tempests  that  stir  earth's  foundations. — Go  stand 

Up  amid  the  roar — 'Twill  visit  you  if  yet 

A  ray  gleam  through  the  twilight  of  your  soul." 


TO  NIAGARA. 
Now  take,  Great  Spirit,  this  my  prayer  on  high. 
Quick  as  the  lightning  through  yon  dark  blue  sky — 
Go,  tell  my  wants,  my  wishes  and  my  love- 
Go,  waft  my  praises  to  the  God  above. 


oting  from  Domi- 

*'ie  second  of  our 
I  ^^''^'ng  to  Mr. 
<^eeded  his  most 

he  ever  saw. 
kts  in  the  orioi. 
0.  P.  Q.^ 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


81 


bot 

jmn, 

earth, 
e. 

JOSBPHINB. 


you 

)ng 

stand 


H 


7- 


Niagara  in  winter  surpas'ses  description.  The  most  lively 
imagination,  in  its  dreams  of  fairy  land,  could  not  picture  a 
scene  more  enchantingly  beautiful.  Every  tree,  every 
shrub,  every  rock  appears  encased  in  an  outer  robe  of  glit- 
tering silver;  and  the  refraction  of  the  sun's  rays  lhrouo;h  t^ 
icicles  pendant  from  the  trees,  presents  the  most  imposing 
Tiew  which  it  is  possible  to  conceive.  Descending  by 
Barnett's  Staircase,  and  passin^*  under  the  Sheet  of  Heater, 
on  are  surrounded  by  objects  which  baffle  description, 
^he  inverted  pillars  of  ice  suspended  from  the  projected 
Te'ipice,  the  immense  icicles  which  threaten  to  crush  the 
leholder  by  their  fiill,  the  cataract  darting  over  head  with  the 
rapidity  of  hghtning,  the  sulphurous  smell,  and  the  boiling 
and  writhing  of  the  gulf  below — all  tend  to  make  us  fancy 
that  we  are  in  one  of  those  enchanted  mansions  of  which 
we  have  read  in  our  childhood,  and  to  which  the  imagination 
of  our  mature  years  has  often  returned  with  pleasing  regret. 

J.  IS. 


Roll  on,  Niagara! — amid  thy  roar, 

There  is  a  voice  that  whispers  me; 
And  breathes  into  my  startled  ear 
One  lone,  wild  word — Eternity. 


To  the   host  of  poetasters,   who    write   in   these   books,  I 
would  say  in  the  words  of  some  '*  Great  Unknown :" — 
"  Chop  wood,  ye  boobies,  make  the  anvil  ring, 
Dig  mud,  pick  oakum — any  thing  but  sing, 

G.  S. 

G.  S.  is  wise,  and  shows  himself 

One  of  that  precious  clan; 
Turn  round,  G.  S.,  and  show  thvself — 

Let's  see  if  you're  a  man. 
I  douht  it;  then  still,  "  Booby,"  be 
Thy  name  enwrapped  in  mystery. 

Zip  Coon. 


h  \'i 


32  TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 

Not  in  the  forest  vast,  when  winds  awake, 

With  giant  energies  and  mighty  power — 

Not  on  the  boundless  deep  when  storms  arise, 

And  tempests  loudly  roar,  is  nature  seen 

In  grandest  garb  arrayed  —  but  where  Niagara's 

Thundering  voice  is  heard,  and  where  her  wa/es, 

In  angry  majesty  are  seen  to  pour; 

Then  doth  she  wear  a  garb  that  wins  from  man 

The  incense  of  his  wonder,  awe  and  praise. 

E.  S.  Smith. 


I  have  looked  on  thee,  thou  mighty  Cataract,  and  think 
thou  art  the  greatest  coffee-pot  in  these  here  parts. 

J.  E.  Wharton. 


I  guess  all  natur'  is  going  to  wpsh  out  to-day ;   for  how 

John  Downing, 


that  'ere  big  kettle  biles. 


i 


Yes,  traveller,  go  under ; 
And  amidst  the  wild  thunder. 
The  spray  and  the  dashing, 
The  stones  and  the  crashing, 
Turn  not  on  one  side. 
But  cling  to  the  guide — 
He's  safe  though  he's  black. 
N.  B.  Pay  when  you  come  back. 


Zaney. 


A* 


N.  B.     On  the  27th  of  August,  1836,  a  large  green  pea 
went  over  the  Falls,  and  made  a  great  noise  in  falling. 

I  saw  it. 


■»*'•«' 


ake, 

IS  arise, 
en 

^iaf»-ara's 
ler  wa/es, 

om  man 
aise. 

S.  Smith. 


't,  and  think 

ts. 

Wharton. 


y;  for  how 

^OWNING.  ^ 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 

B.  D.  Jones  has  this  day  done — 
What  can't  be  said  by  every  one, 
Has  gone  as  far  as  man  can  go, 
As  liis  certificate  will  show — 
And  counsels  all  who  value  fame, 
Immediately  to  do  the  same. 


98 


In  after  years  when  memory  comes, 

To  cheer  us  in  our  happy  homes, 

A  voice,  amid  the  social  cheer, 

Shall  speak  of  what  we  witnessed  here. 

Those  that  we  love  are  with  us  now, 

With  happy  heart  and  youthful  brow. 

Heaven  grant  their  lot  in  life  may  be 

An  all  unclouded  destiny. 

When  fancy  brings  us  back  this  day, 

Perchance  we'll  think,  where,  where  are  they? 

No  time,  no  change  nor  change  can  sever, 

The  hnks  that  bind  our  hearts  forever. 

Robert. 


Well  now,  I  du  calculate  them  Falls  is  a  decided  failure. 
They  ort  to  run  up  stream.  Joel. 


2a]vky. 


■een  pea 

W  IT. 


"  What  a  sight  of  water  is  here,  Sammy,"  said  the  elder 
Mr.  Weller,  as,  leaning  against  the  rail,  he  looked  hard  at 
the  rushing  cataract.  "  1  think  it  must  soon  run  itself  out  of 
breath  —  must  soon  pull  up,  Sammy.''  "  Why,  yes,  father," 
re|)lied  the  junior,  taking  off  his  white  tile,  and  stroking  down 
his  smooth  hair,  "it  runs  a'most  as  hard  and  as  loud  as  moth 
er-iii-law's  tongue."  "  True,  Samivel,"  rejoined  the  elder, 
and   turning  lo   Mr.  Pickwick,  continued,  "  you  know  sir,  as 


34 


TABLE    UOClv    ALBUM. 


how  I  married  a  viddy."  That  benevolent  gentleman  nod- 
ded his  head  acquiescingly,  and  after  looking  significantly 
around,  said,  "  Come,  dinner's  ready!" 


VERSES, 

WRITTEN    AT    THE     TABLE    ROCK     DURING    A    THUNDER     STORM. 

Niagara,  Niagara,  careering  in  its  might. 
The  fierce  and  free  Niagara  shall  be  my  theme  to-night. 
A  glorious  theme,  a  glorious  hour,  Niagara,  are  mine — 
Heaven's  fire  is  on  thy  flashing  wave,  its  thunder  blends  with 

thine. 
The   clouds  are  bursting  fearfully,  the  rocks  beneath  me 

quiver, 
But  thou,  unscathed,  art  hurrying  on  forever  and  forever. 
Years  touch  thee  not,  Niagara —  thou  art  a  changeless  thing, 
And  still  the  same  deep  roundelay  thy  solemn  waters  sing. 
There  is  a  chainless  spirit  here  whose  throne  no  eye  may 

reach. 
Awakening  thoughts  in  human   hearts  too  deep  for  human 

speech. 
This  is  the  shrine  at  which  the  soul  is  tutored  to  forget 
Us  earthly  joys,  its  earthly  hopes,  its  sorrow  and  regret; 
For  who  that  ever  lingered  here  one  little  hour  or  twain, 
Can  think  as  he  hatli  thought,  or  be  what  he  hath  been  again? 
Where'er   the    wanderer's  foot  may  roam,  whate'er  his  lot 

may  be, 
'Tis    deeply    written    on  his  heart   that  he  hath  been  with 

thee. 

Groiige   Menzies. 
Chippewa,  August,  1834. 


The  man  that's  just  from  behind  the  sheet. 
Says  "The  Elephant  is  thar," 
But  1  rather  guess,  if  I  may  speak, 
That  it  is  a  monstrous  big  white  ''Bar." 

South  West. 


entleraan  nod- 
S  significantly 


VDER  STORM. 


TABLB  ROCK  ALBUM. 


35 


Nature  is  all  changeless.     We  are  but  shadows. 

H.  J.  Much,  New  York. 

Changeless  people  are  no  use  liere ;  and  if  you  are  only 
shadows,  so  much  the  worse  fur  your  baker  and  butcher — you 
can  live  on  vaj)or.     This  is  just  the  place  for  such  as  you. 

K,  L. 


to-night, 
mine — . 

■  blends  with 

beneath  me 

forever, 
■eless  thing, 
^ters  sing.' 
^  eye  may 

for  human 


s» 


O!  the  wonderful  Falls  of  Niagara — 

Hop,  skip  and  jump,  and  here  we  are  plump, 
At  the  wonderful  Falls  of  Niagara 

Of  a^l  stupid  asses,  1  call  you  the  trump, 

In  cli(nbin<r  Parnassus  you  fell  on  your  rump, 

And  your  brains  of  molasses  fell  out  with  a  plump. 


We  are  here  to-day,  and  gone  to-morrow. 


W.  M. 


Well,  why  dont  you  stop  a  week  at  the  hotel?     The  beds 
and  gmb  are  good. 

A.  B. 
Yes,  but  deviUsh  dear. 

C.  D. 


When  God  went  forth  in  the  work  of  creation,  attended 
hy  a  shilling  array  of  Cherubim  and  Seraphim,  these  "living 
diies"  veiled  their  faces  and  said,  "God  of  Glor}^  stay  thy 
hand,  or  we  die!"  "One  work  more,"  said  the  Almighty, 
*'  and  inanimate  creation  is  complete."  He  spake  and  the 
mountains  started  back,  and  Ocean  heaved  affrighted  as 
Niagara  sprang  into  birth. 

C.  A.  H. 


36 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


SACRED  MUSINGS. 

BY    REV.    JOHN    DOWLING    OF    PROVIDENCE,    B.    I. 

Niagara!  thy  mighty  voice  hath  waked 

The  slumb'ring  fancy ;  and  the  beams  which  from 

Thy  crested  bosom  dart,  kindle  again 

The  smoth'^red  flame  of  wild  poetic  fire, 

Which  in  tlie  days  of  youthful  ardor  burn'd 

Within  my  breast. 

Yet  hard  the  task 
To  sing  thy  wonders!     Laboring  fancy  reels! 
Thouoht  staooers  with  amazement,  and  in  vain 
Essays  to  grasp  thy  vast  sublimities ! 
Yet  though  the  hand  which  feebly  touch'd  the  lyre 
To  sing  thy  wonders,  palsied  is  still, 
Yet  may  I  tell  the  sweet  and  holy  thoughts 
Which  crowd  upon  my  brain,  as  on  the  rocks 
I  stand,  and  gaze  upon  thy  face.     Thoughts,  which 
The  love-tun'd  harp  of  Zion  woke,  and  even 
Thy  thunders  cannot  hush.     I  gaze  upon 
Thy  waters  as  they  leap,  foaming  with  wrath. 
From  rock  to  rock,  till  vast  and  vehement. 
The  mighty  torrent  with  n^sistless  force 
Tumbles  into  the  gulf;  and  as  I  gaze, 
I  think  upon  the  awful  flood  of  wrath 
Due  to  the  sins  of  vile  apostate  man, 
Which  dashed  upon  the  meek  and  holy  ONE, 
And  wrung  the  bitter  cry  —  "  My  God,  my  God, 
O  why  dost  thou  forsake  me  ?" 

I  behold 
The  beauteous  bow  which  spans  the  roaring  gulf. 
And  thoughts  of  melting  tenderness  come  o'er  my  soul! 
The  bow,  the  heavenly  bow  of  peace  and  love 
Which  spann'd  mount  Calvary  when  Jesus  died  ! 
The  eye  of  faith  turns  from  the  scenes  of  earth, 
And  sees —  O  love  divine!  —  the  wondrous  words, 
Inscrib'd  by  God's  own  hand  upon  that  bow  — 
"  Peack,  pkace  on  k\uth,"  since  Christ  the  ransom,  died. 


•I 


3 


TABLE    ROCK  ALBUM. 


I  stand  upon  the  rock!  here  am  I  safe! — 
Thus  may  I  ever  stand  on  HIM,  the  ROCK 


Of  everlasting  ages. 


Thus  secure  from  harm, 
As  on  this  solid  rock,  contemplate 
That  overwhelming  Cataract  of  wrath, 
Which  on  my  Savior  pour'd  to  rescue  me. 
Thus  may  I  gaze  upon  the  bow  of  mercy, 
Road  its  bright  lines,  and  wonder  and  adore ; 
And  as  I  gaze,.in  yon  bless'd  world  forever, 
Thus  sweetly  may  the  fountains  of  my  soul, 
Be  broken  up;  and  tears,  luxurious  tepig, 
Of  joy  and  gratitude  forever  flow. 


8t 


O!  not  to  sing  presumptuous  praise. 
In  studied  words  and  measured  lays, 

This  scene  survey — 
Omnipotence  is  imaged  here, 
Let  vainer  homage  disappear, 

And  kneel  and  pray. 


R.  C. 


m 
If 
I'd 

m 


Niagara's  mighty  waters,  rushing  by, 
That  stun  the  sense,  and  yet  delight  the  eye, 
Whose  breakers  dashing  on  the  rugged  rock. 
With  thundering  uproar,  and  with  deafening  shock, 
Awaken  feelinos  never  known  before. 
And  lill  the  memory  with  an  endless  store 
Of  fancies  and  of  thoughts  that  ne'er  can  die, 
But  treasured  in  the  heart  forever  lie. 


38  TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 

The  white  foam  dancing  and  the  clouds  of  spray 
That  boil  beneath  me  and  around  me  play, 
The  circling-  rainbows  with  their  vivid  dyes, 
Like  fairy  fi)rms  fiom  out  the  waters  rise, 
Deck'd  with  those  tints,  so  pure  and  all  so  bright, 
The}^  seem  like  rays  of  lieaven's  own  hallowed  light; 
All,  all  unveil,  and  place  within  my  sight 
The  great  Creator  in  his  matchless  might. 

T.  S.  Juu. 


The  most  insignificant  plant,  the  minutest  insect,  the 
smallest  drop  of  water,  when  examined  tlirough  the  medium 
of  a  microscope,  proves  beyond  a  doubt,  to  any  reasoning 
mind,  the  existence  of  an  almiphtv  creatino-  and  sustaining 
Power  —  must  then  the  circumstance  of  a  large  body  of  water 
rushing  down  an  inclined  plane,  and  over  a  precipice  of  150 
feet  in  height,  urged  mi^rely  by  the  universal  power  of  grav- 
itation, bo  selected  as  the  most  striking  demonstration  of  the 
greatness  of  the  Almightv  ? 

Snooks. 


The  most  stupendous  work  of  Natuie!  The  mountains, 
oceans,  lakes  and  cataracts  are  great  specimens  of  the  mag- 
nifcence  of  (tikI's  works;  but  here  his  beneficence  is  also 
indicated,  by  the  perpetual  rainbow.  What  mind  is  not 
enlarged,  what  soul  not  filled  with  ennobling  emotions,  by 
the  contemplation  of  such  Avonders?  Let  man  behold  with 
awe  and  admiration,  and  learn — 

Humility. 


Roll  on,  mysterious  river,  in  thy  might, 

Awakening  dreams  -  '"  terrible  delight, 

Or  thrilling  fear,  ann  turning  into  naught 

All  that  hath  e'er  been  sketched  in  human  thought, 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM, 


39 


my 


d  iight; 


S.  Jwi, 


'ect,    the 

t'asoning 
LJStaininn- 

fjf  \v«ter 
of  150 
0^  griw- 
^  of  the 

00K8. 


ntains, 

1 

is  also 

"1 

'*<  not 

"..  ^ 

IS,  bj^ 
'  with 

TV. 


Of  beauty  and  of  grandeur  —  God  hath  thrown 
A  glorious  girdle  round  thee —  ^irod  alone 
Can  curb  thy  restless  torrent  —  He  who  gave 
}lis  voice  of  thunder  to  thy  rushing  wave, 
And  built  on  foam  the  bright  prismatic  bow 
Th.it  sheds  its  glory  on  the  gulf  below — 
Yea,  Ke  whose  path  is  in  the  secret  deep, 
Shall  lull  thy  troubled  spirit  into  sleep. 
Still  as  a  wearied  babe  that's  on  the  breast 
Of  yearning  love  is  cradled  into  rest. 

George    Menzfes. 
Chippewa,  Nov.  9,  1834. 


I  dare  not  write  ray  name  where  God  hath  set  his  seal. 


When  I  stand  on  this  awful  spot,  I  feel  as  if  I  had  entered 
a  living  temple  of  the  Eternal.  In  this  mighty  concentration 
of'  waters,  which  have  ceaselessly  rushed  on  and  on,  while 
thousands  of  generations  of  mankind  have  been  passing 
away  from  the  stage  of  time  forever,  I  behold  an  impressive 
emblem  of  the  unchanged  and  unchangeable  glory  of  the 
great  King  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  Author  of  time,  the 
Father  of  eternity.  If  genius  would  seek  inspiration,  if  piety 
aspires  after  elevation  as  well  as  holiness  of  sentiment,  let 
them  come  and  worship  at  the  shrine  of  Niagara. 

A.  R.  K. 


You  must  go  down  under  the  mighty  t'all;  and  when  you 
return,  if  you  are  not  naturally  and  permanently  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  portry,  don't  attempt  to  versify.  Namby- 
pamby  on  such  a  theme  is  utterly  intolerable.  Silence  is, 
aft<»r  all,  the  best /wt'm  on  the  FalFs  of  iNiagara. 

I    KNOW. 


It, 


The  Yankees  are  going  to  take  Niagara  Falls, 
Like  they  thought  of  taking  Montezuma's  Halls. 


ill 


Mt 


Mux. 


40 


TABLB    ROCK    ALBUM. 

Roar  away,  mighty  Fall 
1  am  done — that  is  all. 


Call  for  an  ice-cream,  a  cake,  or  a  tater, 
And  if  you  don't  get  one  of  them,  just  kick  the  waiter. 

Good  Pokt  I. 


I  saw  them  fall,  I  saw  them  fall — 
And  that  is  all,  and  that  is  all. 

Sir  Isaac  Newton. 


Ye  prosing  poets,  who  dull  rhymes  indite. 
Why  in  this  place  your  leaden  nonsense  write? 
Can  sci'nes  like  these  no  nobler  strain  inspire 
Than  vulgar  slang  and  wit  whose  jokes  miss  fire? 


These  Falls  are  nothing,  after  all,  to  the  great  cataract 
with  a  name  ten  syllables  long,  which  is  about  a  pleasant 
sleigh-ride  from  the  capital  of  the  Georgium  Sidus.  The 
Major  went  clear  up  the  Canada  Fall,  swam  round  Goat 
Island,  then  down  the  American  B'all,  and  finally  crawled  up 
a  rainbow  to  the  Ferry  House. 

Long  Bow. 


Ye  who  would  feast  your  souls  on  heavenly  food, 

Go  muse  a  while'on  Niagara's  flood: 

Turn  ye  to  Him  who  pours  its  rushing  wave, 

And  praise  the  Power  who  rules  us  but  to  save, 

Whose  might  could  crush  the  world  he  deigned  to  form, 

Whose  love  redeemed  mankind — wlio  feeds  the  worm. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


41 


Niagara !  thy  waters  were  not  made 
A  toy  for  puny  mortals'  idle  gaze. 
Thine  is  a  hymn  eternal,  and  the  tones 
Of  thy  mysterious  voice  ascend  the  skies, 
And  pour  the  strain  of  Nature's  melody 
Before  the  throne  of  Him  who  made  the  earth, 
And  seas,  and  skies,  and  all  that  in  them  is. 


On  Table  Rock  we  did  embrace 
And  then  we  stood  both  face  to  face. 
The  moon  was  up,  the  wind  was  high- 
I  looked  at  she,  and  she  at  I.        * 


Tres  fratres  stolidi 
Took  a  boat  for  Niao-ri : 
Magnum  frothum  surgebat, 
Et  boatum  overturnebat, 
Et  omnes  drowndiderunt, 
Qui  swimmere  non  potuerunt. 

W.  H.  Howell. 


t  II, 


U 


W. 


w 


A  scene  so  vast,  so  wildly  grand 
May  well  a  mortal's  mind  amaze: 
For  even  the  swift  wing'd  angel  band, 
On  mercy's  errand,  stop  to  gaze. 


I* 


The  time  may  come  when  steamboats  up 

Niagara  Fa. Is  will  sail; 
And  then  no  stage  will  be  required 

To  carry  up  the  mail. 

The  codfish  may  have  pic-nics  then 

Or  take  a  little  spree 
Among  the  folks  at  Chippewa, 

And  then  get  back  to  tea. 


G.  M. 


4fi 


Table  kock  album. 


If  the  beauty  of  this  Cataract  "keeps  a  falling  oflf"  it  will 
soon  cease  to  be  a  curiosity. 


These  waters  are  the  perpetual  motion. 


Adieu  Niagara!  I'm  off  for  New  York, 

To  measure  out  sugar,  molasses  and  pork. 

Next  vear  I'll  return  if  I  crib  enoun;h  cash, 

And  it  won't  be  my  fault  if  I  don't  cut  a  dash. 

I  put  up  at  ithe  "Cataract,"  but  could  not  stop  there — 

The  landlord  and  I  were  too  much  of  a  pair. 

Brass  Spurs  and  Brown  Coat. 


% 


See  yon  troubled  waters!  how  madly  onward  they 
Rush  to  the  precipice,  and  the  voice  of  Him  obey 

The  Great  Invisible. 
Now  down  the  "vasty  deep"  the   mighty  floods   are  pouring 
Into  dissolving'  spiay,  while  upward  clouds  are  soaring 

To  the  illimitable. 
Man  looks  upon  the  scene  with  mingled  hopes  and  fears, 
Calls  back  to  memory  his  long  departed  years. 

And  at  the  future  trembles; 
When  lo!  the  drooping  soul  beholds  the  covenant  of  peace, 
The  RainhoWy  token  that  the  troubled  waters  cense. — 

God  ne'er  dissembles. 
U.  C.  Kkele. 


« 


i  i 


This  is  to  certify  that  the  company  passed  under  the  sheet 
of  water,  conducted  by  the  "  darkness  visible"*  of  this  estab- 
lishment. They  were  spJendiferoushj  delighted,  and  wx*nt 
home  tee-totaticiousif/  satisfied. 

*Thc  officiating  guide— a  colored  man. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


48 


Great  is  the  mystery  of  Ningara's  waters; 

But  more  mysterious  still  are  some  men's  daughters. 


h 


I  saw  the  foam  come  tumbling  down, 
And  spoil  my  ribbons  and  my  gown, 
Nor  heeded  it — because  I  felt 
That  all  around  me  here  there  dwelt 
A  seven-horse poiver  of  majesty; 
And,  overcome,  I  cried  "  Oh  my/" 

Eliza  Ann  Judd,  New  York. 


M  pi 

m 


I  never  experienced  so  much  mist  before.     In  fact  I  am 
completely  mistified.  ""   • 


The  best  remark  is  silence  — G. 
Then,  pray,  why  do  you  break  ?7? — H. 
For  the  same  reason  that  you  do ; 
Because  'tis  hard  to  speak  it. —  i . 
On  memory's  page  two  things  will  never  fade- 
Niagara  Falls  and  Barnett's  lemonade! 


1 1., 
i  ' 


What  a  confounded  noise  that  'ere  brook  outside  makes! 

W.  W.  B. 

It  is  only  some  water  running  ovei  some  rocks— th.tt's  all. 

J.    N.    TOLMAN. 


44 


TABLE    ROCK   ALBUM. 


It  beats  all  natur'.  It  is  the  wickedest  sight  I  ever  seen. 
Why,  it's  no  more  like  Deacon  Johnsing's  Cider  Mill  than 
nothin'  to  no-how.  Joel. 


Ceaseless  Niagara,  shall  thy  thunder  roll, 
Till  time  shall  cease  to  be,  and  like  a  scroll 
Earth  shall  be  gathered  up,  and  then  the  soul 
Will  heed  thee  not;  for  God  will  claim  the  whole. 

N.  Brooks,  iVi  IT. 


¥' 


.i 
I 


'? 


Thou  image  of  the  Almighty  One,  as  on  thy  wave  I  gaze, 
It  seems  as  God  from  off  his  brow  the  shroud  of  time  doth 

raise, 
And  in  thy  might  I   see  the  hand  that  cleft  thy  headlong 

way. 
And  the  veil  of  the  eternal  throne  in  thy  column'd  clouds  of 

spray — 
The  diadem  of  mercy  in  thy  many-colored  bow. 
And  the  terrors  of  his  anger  in  the  gulf  that  boils  below — 
In  thy  thunder  hear  His  voice  —  0 !  then  how  dare  I  speak 

of  thee; 
When  thus  the  Godhead  speaketh,  vain  man  must  silent  be. 

C.  tl.  Cope,  England. 


The  autograph  of  the  Deity  written  in  running  hand  on 
the  wall  of  creation,  to  tell  man  how  lightly  he  weighs  in  the 
balance. 


iii 


Too  Good  to  be  Lost. — Nov.    17,   1834.     Visited  the 
Falls  with  Miss of  Philadelphia,  and  her  little  sister. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


45 


Fannj,  aged  nine.  When  opposite  Tonawanda,  part  of  the 
carriage  harness  became  disarranged,  aiiH  the  driver  stopped 
to  "fix"  it,  when  just  opposite  a  little  cascade,  formed  by 
yesterday's  rain.  Little  Fanny,  who  knew  we  were  going  to 
Niagara,  supposing  by  the  stopping  of  the  carriage  that  we 
had  arrived  at  our  destination,  looked  at  it  for  some  time 
very  earnestly  through  the  carriage  ■'indow,  and  then  ex- 
claimed, "  Well,  I  do  think  it  is  very  grand;  but  it  is  not 
quite  so  large  as  I  expected." 

W.  P.  D. 


i 


'  I  gaze, 
time  doth 

teadlonff 

clouds  of 


below — 
-e  I  speak 

iilent  be. 
igland. 


hand  on 
IS  in  the 


I  stood  upon  Niagara's  dizzy  heights, 

And  gazed  upon  the  fearful  depths  beneath ; 

I  listened  to  the  awful  melody, 

Forever  echoing  to  the  praise  of  God; 

Fearfully  behind  the  flowing  drapery, 

Entranced  I  stood,  and  heard  terrific  sounds. 

A  slippery  path,  a  yawning  gulph  below. 

And  the  huge  precipices  quivering. 

Bade  me  beware.     O  God !  I  know  thou  art ; 

For  here  thy  presence  overwhelms  my  soul. 


Oh !  how  I  wish  I  were  a  poet, 

And  had  a  conch  shell — how  I'd  blow  it ! 

Prodigious. 


ted  the 
J  sister, 


RELIGION, 

From  hallowed  shrines  let  holy  incense  rise, 
In  wreathing  volumes  to  the  azure  skies, 
To  speak  the  grateful  homage  of  the  soul. 
When  man  would  own  his  Maker's  high  control. 


46  TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM 

But  spices  spread  upon  the  marble  mound, 
Or  perfumes  scattered  on  the  humble  ground, 
Or  prostrate  head,  or  bended  knees  alone, 
Find  no  acceptance  at  the  heavenly  throne. 

So  costly  churches  and  the  glittering  dome, 
May  prove  that  wealth  hath  found  religion's  home, 
But  Nature's  Yi^onders  must  inspire  the  heart, 
That  worships  God  by  love  and  not  by  art. 

Vain  are  the  hvmns  "which  feeble  choirs  may  raise, 
Compared  with  Nature's  all  pervading  praise; 
So  like  the  praise  of  Niagara's  roar. 
Our  praise  should  rise  from  this  for  evermore. 


For  'tis  the  heart  devoted  and  sincere, 
Bowing  in  grateful  love  and  holy  fear — 
The  up-turned  eye  with  an  imploring  gaze, 
The  heart-felt  prayer,  the  joyous  song  of  praise. 


'Tis  the  firm  faith,  the  conduct  free  from  guile. 
The  mind  exempt  from  thoughts  that  may  defile. 
The  strict  obedience  to  our  Maker's  laws — 
That  prove  the  votaries  of  religion's  cause. 

A.  R.  P. 


I 


'Tis  well  —  on  sunny  dreams  of  youth, 

And  glowing  hopes  that  oft  would  steal 
On  manhood's  hour,  the  hand  of  truth 

Has  stamped  its  impress,  set  its  seal; 
And  all  that  I  have  felt  and  feel 

Rush  on  my  soul  in  currents  deep — 
I  see  the  thundering  billows  reel, 

Niagara,  down  thy  rocky  steep- 
Callous  the  heart  that  fails  to  see 

The  finger  of  the  Deity! 


'  i 


unci, 


e. 


I's  home, 
rt, 


'v  raise, 
:se; 

re. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM.  47 

The  grand,  the  terrible  are  thine — 

In  majesty  thou  rollest  on; 
Unceasingly  thy  rainbows  shine, 

And  will  till  time  has  ceased  to  run. 
Emerging  from  the  forest  dun. 

The  savage  stands  in  breathless  fear; 
And  awful  glories,  one  by  one, 

Arrest  the  white  man's  eye  and  ear. 
An  emblem  meek  thou  art  to  me 

Of  limitless  eternity  1  J,  Bp,  N".  V. 


**  The  living  know  that  they  must  die." 

Niagara  Falls. 


m 


f  ■  :;l-:r 


aise. 


Tidle-tum  and  tidle  ti. 


Vox   OF    IT? 


ile, 
ifiJe, 


R.  P. 


I  looked  upon  the  water,  and  I  smiled 
To  see  Low  furiously  the  creetur  hiled; 
And  then  I  thought  I  wiped  a  tear  away. 
But  folks  that  saw  it  said  it  looked  like  spray. 

Anne  Todd. 


If  it  were  not  such  a  squally  day, 
I  guess  that  I  would  write. 

Some  simple  lines,  and  say  my  say 
On  this  stupendous  sight. 


W,  H.  A. 


O,  what  a  pity  that  there  should 
Be  such  a  naughty  squall, 

That  pretty  missy  cannot  write 
Her  poem  on  the  ''fall." 


Q   IN   A   CORN£K. 


48 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


They're  all  my  fancy  painted  them, 

They're  dreadful,  not  divine; 
For  they're  falling  in  the  devil's  mouth — 

I'm  thankful,  not  in  mine. 


.■^  ... 


t'^'V^ 


Roar  on  Niagaia!  thou  mighty  wonder! 
Till  thy  stentorian  voice  is  cracked — 
Yea,  rend  thy  very  lungs  asunder, 
In  rolling  out  thy  matchless  thunder, 

Old  Cataract! 


V 


"  Nil  admirari  "  sure  had  been  suppress'd, 
Had  not  that  rhymester  ( ?)  Horace  lack'd, 
The  privilege  with  which  we're  bless'd, 
To  gaze  upon  thee,  grand,  majest- 

Tic  Cataract. 

Well  mayest  thou  haughtily  defy 
Vain  man  to  stop  thee,  or  detract 
Aught  from  thy  glorious  majesty. 
Or  dim  thy  fame,  most  magnifi- 


**- 


V'^'Jt' V 


"t  «♦■■*«• 


Cent  Cataract. 


'-t*^ 


Much  farther  has  thy  name  been  pub- 
Lished  than  the  story  of  Ilium  sack'd — 
No  fame  of  any  human  rub- 
Bish  can  compare  with  thine  thou  sub- 
Lime  Cataract. 

For  ever  shall  thy  waters  flow, 
And  rush  and  fail  by  time  intact, 
And  boil,  and  howl  and  hiss  below,  *' 

Tent  Cataract. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


49 


iR.  Kay. 


Yet  dangerous  as  thou  dost  appear, 
Goldsmith  records  this  wondrous /ac^, 
"Some  Indians  once,  in  safety  steer- 
Ed  down  in  iheii  canoes,  thee  fear- 

Ful  Cataract." 
Iligkgate,  Vt.  J.  G.  S. 


k. 

:||f 


li 


aract I 


How  poor !  how  very  poor  is  praise  from  man  ! 
Poor  to  Him  praised,  is  all  created  praise. 
When  I  behold  this  scene,  and  think  that  all 
Is  of  less  value  than  a  sino-le  soul — 
0  were  the  whole  vast  universe  a  wreck — 
That  awful  wreck  inanimate,  were  less 
Than  one  lost  imao-e  of  the  Architect! 


i 


aract. 


^h:.. 


Nature's  ^oudest  voice  speaking  to  the  soul  through  the 
medium  of  those  ever  rushing  waters — the  holy  place  of  the 
earth!  The  vapor  of  ever  an  ascending  incense  to  the  throne 
of  God ! 


m 


ract. 


act. 


;t. 


'Tis  did — my  braggin'  days  is  o'er, 
I'll  brag  of  old  Salt*  now  no  more. 
The  look  of  pride  what  once  I  wore 
Is  gone,  alas  I  my  heart  are  tore, 
The  proud,  firm  footstep,  mine  of  yore 
Are  now  too  gone,  my  eyes  is  sore, 
And  little  scaldin'  tears  does  pour, 
When  I  does  think  that  old  Salt's  roar 
Was  made  "considerable"  lower, 
Even  at  this  very  door. 

Captino  Ralph  Slackpolh. 

Of  Salt  River. 

*Salt  River. 
C 


Jtl 


li 


60  TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 

All  hail,  Niagara!  by  thine  awful  noise, 
Great  fear  is  caused  in  minds  of  little  boys; 
And  as  thou  rollest  with  tliy  mighty  rumble, 
All  must  acknowledge  that  thou  mak'st  a  tumble. 
"A  thing  of  beauty  is  a  joy  forever;" 
And  in  that  way  thou  certainly  art  clever. 


As  on  the  stormy  beach  I  strayed, 

Where  frowning  rocks  prevailed, 
0!  thus  my  own,  my  dearest  maid 

My  hard,  hard  fate  bewailed: — 
0 !  Harry  dear,  you'll  break  your  neck- 

Upon  my  soul,  you  will ; 
And  if  you  do,  you  precious  fool, 

I'll  lick  you— so  1  will !  " 


What  lots  of  cotton  factories  and  grist  mills  this  httle 
hydraulic  power  might  drive ;  but  these  Canucks  can't  go 
ahead  nohow.  Uncle  Sam. 


r>J,     \ 


Why  are  the  Falls  of  Niagara  in  sunshine  like  a  coquette? 
Because  they  have  more  bows  (beaux)  than  one. 

Why  is  a  whale  like  a  brick-bat  ?     Because  he  can't  climb 
a  tree. 


What  makes  Nature's  works  wonderful  to  man  is  man's 
ignorance  of  them. 

Nature  never  created  any  thing — that  pctwer  belongs  to 
God  alone.  T.   A.   H. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALRUM. 


61 


ys; 
ibJe, 
A  tumble. 


If  you  wish  to  immortalize  yourself,  don't  write  in  any  of 
these  books — ^jump  over  the  Falls.  Never  mind  the  weather, 
il' the  wind  don't  blow. 


Next  to  the  bliss  of  seeing  Sarah, 
Is  that  of  seeing  Niagara. 


;k— 


In  foam  these  Falls  resemble  ffinger  pop — 
In  force  a  comet;  for  they  never  stop. 

Solomon  Swop. 


this  h'ttle 
'  can't  go 
E  Sam. 


oquette  ? 
I't  chmb 


njan's 


lU's  to 
II. 


f 


0 !  if  I  were  a  little  fish,  and  had  a  little  fin 

To  keep  my  little  self  afloat,  I  swear  1  would  jump  in ; 

And  having  seen  the  mighty  Falls,  and  heard  their  mighty 

roar, 
iMyself  Avould  be  a  mighty  fish,  henceforth,  for  ever  more. 
Chij)pewa.  G.  M. 

0!  if  I  were  a  little  bird,  and  had  a  little  wing, 

I'd  perch  upon  the  highest  rock,  and  sweetly  would  I  sing. 

Thence  would  I  wing  my  hasty  llight,  and  scud  across  the 

foam, 
And  having  seen  the  wondrous  sight,  I  straightway  would 

go  home.  '  K.  C. 

Somebody,  fipparrntly  under  the  impression  that  the  above 
vcrr/jG  ♦vt-re  wiitten  by  the  same  person,  inserted  below  them 
the  following  jeu  d'esprit: — 

If  that  you  were  a  little  /?.<f//, 

You  say  you'd  take  a  swim  below; 

And  if  you  wore  a  little  bird. 
To  sing  upon  a  tree  you'd  go. 


H 


52 


TABLE    KOCK    ALBUM. 


There's  nothing  but  a  iitttle  beast, 
For  which  you  after  this  can  pass; 

You  had  been  thought  a  man;  but  by 
These  Hnes  you've  proved  yourself  an  ass. 

J,  S.  B 


On  Table  RocTc  I  stood,  and  viewed  the  wonders  o'er, 
Looked  on  the  vast  and  foaming  ilood,  and  wished  to  look  no 
more.  M.  N. 


O!  rather  say,  amazed,  let  me  stand 
Submissive — a  poor  sinful  child  of  llim 
At  whose  omnipotent  and  dread  command 
Came  forth  the  waters — and  the  cherubim. 
Pray  Him  that  o'er  thy  soul  he  may  not  bring 
The  bitter  waters  that  destructive  prove; 
But  ask  in  faith  of  llim,  thy  Suvcrei^n  King — 
To  drink  the  livin«>;  waters  of  His  love. 

Mauy  Keele. 


I  came  to  see  Niagara  too  late.  Five  years  ago,  I  was  a 
creature  of  enthusiasm,  poetry  and  devotion.  Now  I  am 
feelingless;,  heartless,  soul-less.  The  once  gushing  founts 
of  youthful  emotion  have  been  broken  up  by  the  withering 
blast  of  adversity.  The  llowers  of  my  life  are  blighted;  and 
all  is  dull — all  tame.  1  laugh  at  Niagara,  and  what  care 
I  for  thunder?     (ireat  God!  how  I  should  have  enjoyed  this 


sight  once. 


13lT. 


Bit  with  affectation — that  is  all.  Any  man  so  blighted 
in  prospt'ct  and  brokt-n  in  spirit  would  not  think  of  remem- 
bering  the   enjoyment  whicii   he   would   have  had  here,  or 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


53 


n  ass. 
S.  B 


or. 


-o  look  no 
M.  N. 


any  where  else.  One  who  is  what  this  scribbler  affects  to 
be  thinks  not  ot  Lis  past  capacity  of  enjoyment,  but  of  his 
present  sense  of  misery. 

Oee  who  knows  now. 

Go  to  prayer  to  heal  your  sorrow, 
And  it  will  not  be  to-morow. 

One  who  has  known. 


Boast  not  thyself,  Niagara, 

That  thy  deep  song  shall  ne'er  be  o'er — 
The  archangel's  voice  shall  yet  proclaim 

That  thou  and  time  shall  be  no  more. 


KELK. 


was  a 
'  I  am 

founts 
Jiorini^ 
1;  and 
t  care 
'd  this 

lilT. 


jilted 
uem- 
e,  or 


Boast  not  thyself,  though  God  hath  set 

His  seal  of  glory  on  thee  now; 
EoiHe  shall  veil  thy  glory  yet, 
And  L.  ":e  the  rainbow  from  thy  brow. 

Thoug'         I  may'st  sing  a  requiem  o'er 
The  grave  of  millions  yet  unborn ; 

Thy  sun  of  glory  too  shall  set — 
The  universe  for  thee  shall  mourn. 


T.  S.  L. 


Light  dawned  upon  the  waters ;  and  the  Creator  called 
rock  and  mountain  and  vale  out  of  the  immensity  of  ocean, 
and  stamped  upon  all  the  impress  of  grandeur  or  of  loveli- 
ness. Then  he  looked  abroad  over  the  many  beautiful 
things  he  had  called  into  being,  and  said,  "Yet  will  1  fashion 
one  more  wonder  of  nature,  more  instructive  to  the  soul  of 
man  than  all  others — one  that  shall  be  an  enduring  monu- 
ment of  my  greatness,  arid  that  shall  speak  in  a  voice  of 
thunder  until  the  end  of  time,  proclaiming  to  mortals  the 
immensity  of  my  power."     This  was  Niagara. 

E.  E.  Smith. 


54 


TABLE    nOCiv   AubvM. 


I  have  just  returned  from  under  the  great  sheet  of  water; 
and  here  record  it  as  my  deliberate  opinion — and  opinion  is 
every  thinj^ — that  there  is  not  a  finer  shower  bath  in  the 
world ;  and  what  is  more,  a  man  must  hold  his  head  down 
whether  he  will  or  no;  of  course  it  is  a  good  school  for  "stiff- 
necked"  people.  W.  C.  B. 


Lost  in  amazement — that  is,  in  plain  English — drunk  with 
brandy  and  water.  Bacchus. 


Grand  spectacle  this  Fall  is! 


R. 


Grand  pair  of  spectacles  these  Falls  are ! 


S. 


The  voice  of  the  Almiohty  is  heard  rebuking  the  vain  and 
frivolous  ribaldry  so  often  uttf^'ed  here.  Bow  thys(;lf,  O  son 
of  man,  before  Mim  whose  wisdom  ordained,  and  whose  provi- 
dence sustains  the  wonders  which  surround  thee.  Yea,  bow 
thyself  to  the  dr.st,  and  whilst  thou  admirest  the  creature, 
adore  the  Creator.  Eliza. 


^1 


*  > 


Could  I  feel  secure  that  my  life  would  endure, 

Jlight  over  the  Falls  I  would  go.  L* 

Of  this  1  feel  sure,  tliat  the  journey  woul  cure 

Any  pain  you  might  have  in  your  toe,  O. 


of  water; 
opinion  is 
ih  in  the 
!?acl  down 
for  "stiff- 
C.  B. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


55 


Went  five  hundred  miles  to  see  Niagara,  dined  heartily 
within  hearing,  and  then  played  a  game  at  bowls  before  look- 
ing- at  the  Falls!  So  much  for  enthusiasm,  poetry,  sublimity, 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  Went  to  the  Table  Rock,  said  it 
would  do,  and  meditated  on  the  sublime  genius  and  melan- 
clioly  fate  of  Sam  Patch  !  Q. 


^nk  with 

CHUS. 


I  love  to  roam  o'er  the  swelling  foam 

Of  the  dark  blue  ocean's  waves ; 
When  the  bursting  storm  in  its  wildest  form 

With  the  fierce  wind  madly  raves, 
W^hen  the  writhing  shark,  by  his  form  so  di     , 

Is  seen  mid  the  rushing  spray, 
So  I  like  the  sleet  of  the  water  sheet 

Of  the  grand  Niagaray! 

John  B.  Schunk. 


in  and 
O  son 
provi- 
,  bo\T 
iture, 

5A. 


It  is  only  a  step  from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous. 

J.  T. 


The  Falls  the  one,  and  the  other  you. 


W.  J. 


With  regard  to  yourself  (W.  J.)  there  can  be  no  step,  as 
you  have  nothing  that  is  not  ridiculous  in  your  composition. 

Annotator. 

O,  but  you  have  something  very  sublime  in  yours,  so  you 
may  go  up  to  the  head.  Dominie. 


■• 


This  is  a  great  fshing  place;  but  there  are  more  Sharks 
than  mackerel. 


AvA  naore  gudgeons  than  cither. 


J.  B.  8. 
G.  M. 


56 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


Niagara,  we  see  thee — God  we  cannot  see.     Which  shall 
•we  worship  ?  Pashaw. 


Any  man  so  unutterably  ignorant  is  not  likely  to  be  much 
at  a  loss  Oil  that  point,  as  he  cannot  understand  what  is 
meant  by  worship  at  all.  The  very  fact  of  the  Falls  being 
visible,  sufficiently  shows  that  they  are  not  an  object  of 
rational  worship.  One  of  the  reasons  for  worshiping  God  is 
his  being  invisible.  X. 


wall 
ing,| 


Loud  roars  the  water,  0. 

Loud  roars  the  water,  O, 
When  I  come  to  the  Falls  again, 

I  hope  they  will  not  spatter  so. 


S.  B. 


How  lonely  and  desolate  would  the  life  of  man  be  without 

Woman. 


What  has  woman  to  do  with  the  Falls? 


Quip. 


If  woman  has  not  to  do  with  the  Falls,  I  should  like  to 
know  who  has — she  made  the  first /a//  herself. 

Crank. 

0  what  Vifall  was  there  my  countrymen  ! — Shalspeare. 

Clink. 


Who  that  has  heard  this  thundering  roar 

Can  be  elsewhere  a  thundering  horeJ  IVl     C. 


TABLE  ROCK  ALBUM. 


57 


A  SHAW. 


o  be  much 
id  what  is 
alls  beino- 
-  object  of 
iDg  God  is 
X. 


Frivolity  and  lightness  appear  to  me  altogether  out  of 
place — totally  uncongenial  to  this  scene  of  a^vful  grandeur. 
While  the  voice  of  the  great  Creator  of  the  universe  is  pro- 
claiming his  matchless  power,  while  Niagara  is  giving  testi- 
mony to  his  omnipotence,  let  us  be  silent  and  adore.  God  is 
love;  but  he  is  also  a  God  of  justice,  to  be  held  in  reverence 
by  all  His  creatures.  Let  us,  not,  then,  provoke  the  anger 
and  just  punishment  of  Him  at  whose  bidding  these  mighty 
waters  flow — at  whose  command  they  will  cease  their  roar- 
ing, and  at  whose  will  we  also  move  and  live.  Man — weak, 
iinite  man,  may  laugh  and  trifle ;  but  the  day  of  retribution 
will  surely  come.  Let  it  not  be  ''aid  that  we  have  seen 
Niagara  in  vain. 

Philadelphia,  1th  mo.^  31,  1«38. 


'>l!i 


S.  B. 


'  without 

OMAN. 

Quip. 
h'ke  to 

tANK. 

eare. 

INK.  j( 


Here,  when  thy  feet  all  other  climes  have  trod, 

bee  nature's  glory  show  the  power  of  God ; 

And  if  thy  soul  ascending  with  the  spray, 

In  rainbow  light  seeks  God's  eternal  day, 

Turn  homeward — prayer- ward  all  thy  thoughts  and  looks, 

Nor  lose  the  charm  by  drivelling  through  these  books. 

Long  Island. 
Niagara,  July  1.5,  1838. 


C. 


Once  on  a  time,  with  nought  to  do  at  home, 
My  wife  and  I  determined  we  would  roam ; 
But  to  agree  upon  the  route 
Admitted  much  domestic  doubt. 
If  I  said  East,  she  said  'twas  best, 
She  thought,  to  travel  to  the  West; 
So  after  many  arguments  and  brawls 
She  brought  nie,  nolens,  volens,  to  the  Falls. 
"A  mail  convinced  against  his  will. 
Is  of  the  same  opinion  still;" 
As  Butler  says — though  'lis  the  wit 
More  than  the  sense  that  I  admit, 
c* 


58  TABLE    UOCK    ALBUM. 

For  I  came  hero  to  ciul  the  strife 

Between  myself  and  my  good  wife. 

Well,  after  staying  licre  a  week, 

I  took  a  rather  curious  freak; 

For  after  having  often  been 

At  every  celebrated  scene, 

I  thought  I'd  study  the  effect  they  made 

On  men  of  different  country — of  different  trane. 

The  first,  he  was  an  Irishman ; 

The  second  was  a  Scot; 

The  third  was  an  American; 

Tlie  fourth  I  know  not  Avhat; 

The  lilth  was  a  Canadian — 

Their  names  I  will  not  tell : 

But  their  remarks  upon  tlie  Falls 

I  still  remember  well: 

**  O  Vanagher,  you're  surely  hale, 

For  on  my  soul  they're  mighty  nate.^' — (Pat.) 

"I'm  no  that  sorry  I  cam'  here, 

But  by  my  sooth  that  pulUc's  dear; 

So  when  I've  written  doon  my  name, 

I'll  tak'  my  boondle  an'  gang  hame." — (Sawney.) 

"  Them  Falls  I've  seen  from  cAcry  quarter, 

And  judge  them  hut  a  waste  of  water." — (Jonathan.) 

"Cc'st  grande,  superbe,  ma  foi, 

Magnilique — O,  by  Gar!   ver  pretty! — (Jean  Baptiste.) 


fo 
h 


fj 


O  God!  David  has  said,  of  thee,  "  Qui  rcftpicit  in  ierram 
et  facit  cam  iremere,  qui  tangit  motites  et  fumi(/anf.''  Here 
thy  mighty  power  shakes  tlie  rocks  themselves,  and  the  very 
depths  of  the  waters  smoke;. — O,  THOU  art  mighty  every 
where,  but  terribly  so  at  Niagara. 

I  I 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


59 


le. 


At  morn  the  rising  God  of  day 
Unveils  this  temple  to  our  eyes — 
Incense  ascending-  to  the  skies 
Bids  man  liis  grateful  homage  pay 
To  God,  at  whose  su])reme  command 
The  waters  war,  and  dash,  and  leap, 
And,  thundering  down  this  awful  steep, 
Whirl  furiously  along  the  strand 
iielow — before  three  altars  now. 

We  bend  the  knee — three  mighty  Falls- 
Faint  type  of  Him  who  on  us  calls 
Before  the  Three  in  One  to  bow! 


P. 


Roll  on  Niagara, — for  ever  roll — 
You  look  so  GRAND  and  yet  so  droll  ! 


Emphatic. 


■) 

than.) 
ptiste.) 


I  can  compare  these  Falls  to  nothing  in  this  world ;  there- 
fore as  I  have  never  seen  the  world  to  comCy  and  have  no 
language  to  express  my  feelings,  1  leave  the  subject  in  the 
hands  of  Eternity. 

Robert  Wallace,  Keniuclcy. 


rrom 
ileje 
Very 
very 

f 


Fall  on,  fall  on.  ye  mighty  Falls — 

I'm  going  now  to  make  my  calls. 

When  1  come  back  I  hope  I  will 

Just  tind  you  falling,  falling  still.  S. 

But  lest  you  loosj  your  chance,  my  friend, 
You'd  better  stay  and  see  the  end; 
Lake  Erie's    "  packing  up  her  awls  " — 
Perhat)s  she  mav  dlscharqe  the  Falls.  M. 

1  ¥  ^ 


60 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


The  Falls  make  a  noise — O  !  nothing  is  louder, 
And  their  spray  sparkles  so — like  a  good  soda  powder  ! 

Squire  Jones, 


m 


Reminds  me  of  daddy's  mill  pond,  when  the  gates  are 
hoisted.  Jonas. 


Went  under  the  sheet.       Good  gracious  how  we  looked 


at  it. 


I  AND  Aunt  Mary. 


Are  those  who  try  to  express  their  feelings,  the  most  awed 
by  the  sublimity  of  the  scene  ? 


Don't  know.      Much  may  be  said  on  both  sides  of  the 
sheet. 


TO  THE  ATHEIST 


Almighty  God  ! 
The  waters  sing  to  Thee  in  awful  praise ; 
Their  mighty  voice,  in  bursting  thunder  says, 

"  Believe  in  God." 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


61 


Eternal  God  ! 
*The  sun  was  dark — earth  paled  at  its  eclipse 
A  still  awe  said,  as  if  from  Angel's  lips, 

"  Believe  in  God!  " 


**  Believe  in  God!" 
Myriads  of  Worlds  in  their  eternal  speed 
Hymn  to  their  spheres  the  soul-exalting  creed- 

"  Believe  in  God." 


Blind  belief  is  sure  to  err 

And  scan  this  work  in  vain  ; 
God  is  his  own  interpreter, 
And  he  will  make  it  plain. 

John  Smyth,  Land  Agent. 

L.  L.  D.  ard  P.  L. 


Poetic  Smyth,  the  Muse's  favored  child, 
Thou  prince  of  rail-roads,  sellers  of  lands  wild ! 
Idol  of  women — handsomest  of  men — 
'Tis  nature  speaks  by  thy  poetic  pen. 
Canadians,  round  his  brow  the  laurels  twine, 
And  wreath  a  chaplet  worthy  of  his  shrine. 
A  few  short  years,  when  Smyth  will  be  no  more — 
His  fame  will  reach  the  transatlantic  shore,  f 

Mary. 


*Tiie  writer  of  the  above  says  the  scene  at  the  Falls  reminded  him  of  a  total 
eclipse  of  the  sun  which  he  had  seen  in  Georgia.  Though  the  links  of  the  chain  of 
assuriation  are  certainly  not  very  perceptiiilc,  tlic  Editor  of  this  compilation,  having 
no  sympathy  with  the  riliald  jester  who  attempts  to  turn  his  seriousness  into  ridicule, 
has  purposely  left  the  witticism  on  his  senses  whicli  is  played  oti'  in  the  Album,  un- 
der u  "  total  eclipse." 

tThe  latter  part  of  Mary's  prophesy  has  been  already  fulfilled,  as  may  be  seen  by 
consulting  Cajjtain  Marryalt's  book  on  America. 


62 


TABLK    liOCfC    ALBUM. 

Of  all  the  roaring,  pouring, 

Spraying  siniams  that  dash, 
Niagara  is  number  one — 

Ad  to  imnwrtal  smash/ 

Jeffeuson  Bagg. 


If  Lover's  leaps  were  now  tlie  fashion 

As  they  were  in  days  of  yore, 
Oh  what  a  place  to  drown  the  passion 

In  Niagara's  foaming  roar. 

W.  A.  Stei'hens. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  FALLS. 

Once  upon  a  time  (the  date  of  which  is  not  recorded)  the 
three  rival  Deities,  Jupiter,  Pluto,  and  Neptune,  were  each 
desirous  of  evincing  their  suj)erioi  power  in  the  work  of 
creation;  wl^en  Jupiter  built  Olympus  to  frighten  the  world 
with  his  thunder!  Pluto  set  lire  to  Mount  Etna!  and  Nep- 
tune with  a  dash  of  his  Trident  made  the  Cataract  of 
Niagara!!  W.  A.  Stephens,  JUsquesinr/,  U.  C. 


These  are  thy  works,  O  (lod!     Let  man  approach 
With  cautious  reverence,  and  behold,  and  w^onder, 
And  with  profoundest  awe  adore  and  worship  Thee. 
Ten  thousand  thunders  in  the  rolling  Hood 
Send  forth  their  peal  in  deep-toned  harmony, 
Sounding  their  antliem  of  eternal  praise 
To  thee,  thou  great  First  Cause.     Man  hears  thy  voice 
From  out  the  deep  abyss, —  and  overwhelmed 
With  sense  of  thy  dread  presence  manifest, 
Amazed  and  struck  with  speechless  awe,  he  shrinks 
Appalled  away. 

M.  F.  D.,  mw    York. 


TAHLE    HOCK    ALHUM. 


63 


Rush  on  and  on,  Niagara,  rush 

Till  the  Archans^-cl's  trump  shall  knell  the  world; 

And  join  to  chant  earth's  funeral  dirge 

With  tliy  last  dash,  when  the  last  earthquake 

Shakes  the  pillarM  ulobe.  M.  C. 


See  Niagara's  torrent  pour  over  the  height, 
How  rapid  the  stream!    how  majestic  the  flood 

Rolls  on,  and  descends  in  the  str<.'ngth  of  his  might, 
As  a  monstrous  (jrcatfrog  leaps  into  the  mud! 

Then,  sec,  o'er  the  waters  in  beauty  divine, 
The  rainbow  arising,  to  gild  the  profound — 

The  Iris,  in  which  all  the  colors  combined, 
Like  the  yeUoiv  and  red  hi  a  calico  ^'r/otvud/''' 

How  splendid  that  rainbow  !  how  n-rand  is  the  u'lare 
Of  the  sun  through  the  mist,  as  it  fervently  glows, 

When  the  sjjray  with  its  moisture  besprinkles  the  air 
As  cm  old  luashertvoman  besprinkles  her  clothes! 

Then  sec,  at  the  depth  of  the  awful  abyss, 
The  whirlpool  careering  with  limitless  power, 

Where  the  waters  revolve  perpetually  round, 
As  a  cooper  revolves  round  a  barrel  of  Jlourl 

The  roar  of  the  waters!  sublime  is  the  sound 

Which  forever  is  heard  from  the  cataract's  .icr.  p  ! 

How  grand!  how  majestic!  how  vast!   how  profound ! 
Like  the  snore  of  a  pig  when  he's  buried  in  sleep! 

The  strong  mountain  oak  and  the  tal;  towering  pine, 
When  plunged  o'er  the  steep  with  a  crack  and  a  roar, 

Are  dashed  into  atoms —  to  f:«gracnts  as  tine 

As  a  2)ipe  when  'tis  Ihroimi  on  a  hard  marble  floor ! 


64 


TAULB    l.OCK    ALBUM. 


And  0!  should  some  mortal — how  dreadful  the  doom! — 
Descend  to  the  spot  where  the  whirlpool  carouses, 

Alas !  he  would  find  there  a  rocky  tomb, 

Or,  at  least,  he'd  he  likely  to  fracture  his  "  trowsersf" 

John  G.  Saxe. 


Niagara's  tide  is  pouring, 

tSwit't  down  the  mighty  steep; 

Loud  as  the  thunder  roaring, 
The  bounding  waters  leap. 


A  sheet  of  foam  descending, 
In  boiling  surf  below — 

The  white  spray  high  ascending, 
Pure  as  the  driven  snow. 


reg 


Rare  beauty  there  is  glowing, 

When  glittering  sunbeams  play, 
The  rainbow  tints  bostowinu' 


Upon  the  rising  is])ray. 


Niagara,  it  has  been  sung, 

Can  speak  so  loud  without  a  tongue, 

Yuu  hear  its  voice  a  mile  hence; 
Out  J  a  greater  wonder  know — 
A  pretty  wunian,  who  although 

She  has  a  tongue,  keeps  Silence/ 


E.  J.  II. 


m; 

a 

is 


Not  in  the  mighty  thunder, 
Not  in  the  whirljjoctl's  sound, 

Not  in  tiif  cataract's  foaming  fall, 
\Vill  (jiod  be  always  found: 


TABLE    KOCK    ALBUM. 

But  in  the  still  small  voice 
That  speaks  to  man  for  aye, 

In  silence  and  in  solitude, 
And  in  the  ranibow's  ray. 

And  here  where  Niagara  roars 
This  beauteous  bow  is  ])laced— 

Here  may  the  tinger  of  our  (rod, 
In  loveliness  be  traced. 


65 


1 

t 
i 


Liz. 


"In   the  year  183G  the  names  of   J30,000  persons  were 
registered  on  the  two  shores  at  the  Falls  of  Niagara." 

All  came  to  see  whate'er  was  to  be  seen; 
All  saw,  because  they  had  their  eyes  I  ween ; 
Some  pondered,  some  wondered;  all  went  away; 
Whether  they  went  wiser  —  can't  pretend  to  say. 

Jon  TiioDNBURY,  Enyland. 


*'  This  world  is  all  a  lleotinn-  show. 

Kor  man's  illusion  given;" 
But  all  who  visit  here  must  know, 

Niagara  is  of  heaven. 


J.  R.  II, 


We  read  that  in  heaven  there  ia  no  material  sun  and  no 
material  moon;  but  J.  U.  H.  seoms  to  intimate  that  there  is 
a  material  water-fall!  Verily,  the  "  wisdom  of  the  world  " 
is  now  confounding  the  "  things  that  are  mighty." 


'Tis  tlrsta  little  disappointment, 
And  next  a  litth;  wonder; 

Then  ph'nty  of  acjualic  ointment, 
/Vnd  awful  lots  of  thunder! 


Oh!! 


66 


TABLE    KOCK    ALBUM. 


As  ive  see  it  no z^,  can  wo  describe  our  feelings?  What 
then  must  have  b(U'n  the  emotions  with  which  the  wild  unci 
vilized  Indian  viewed  it  as  his  own  ?  In  unbroken  solitude, 
■with  nought  to  be  heard  saving  the  deep  roaring  of  the  resist- 
less torrent,  it  must  have  been  to  him  a  place  of  prayer,  at 
which  to  pour  out  his  untutored  homage  to  the  great  Manitou. 
It  look^  like  mockery  to  see  the  houses,  and  the  green  para- 
sols  of  fashionable  ladies,  among  tliese  primeval  rocks.  Yot 
even  these  do  not  entirely  break  the  enchantment,  nor  dissi- 
pate the  consciousness  that  here  you  are  nearer  to  God  than 
in  the  crowded  citv. 


Stupendous  river — mighty  cataract! 
You  excite  my  wonder — that's  a  fact. 
I  love  the  music  of  thy  roaring 
In  awful  torrents  ever  pouring. 


Crack  Bard. 


Both  truth  and  poetry — ''that's  a  fact  "- 
'Tis  truth  indeed  that  you  are  crack'd ; 
That  you're  a  I^ard  is  poetry, 
Or  in  plain  prose,  an  arrant  lie. 


No  Bard. 


This  spot  was  not  created:  it  was  left  by  the  Creator  when 
ho  called  other  things  to  order,  to  show  men  of  what  rude 
materials  he  lurQU'.d  our  fair  world.  D.  \i. 


"Tlir;  hell  of  »  iKtm  '  —lli/rnn. 

Roar,  rage  ;uid  foam,  Niagiira, 
We  marii  thy  waters  hurled 

From  otf  thy  giddy  summit — 
'J'hou  wonder  of  tin?  world. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


67 


?     What 
wild  unci 
solitude, 
'lie  resi.st- 
pniyer,  at 

Manitou. 
oen  para. 

ks.  Yet 
nor  dissi- 
(rod  than 


B 


VRD. 


Let  sceptics  doubt  a  Ooity, 

But  in  their  j)roud  career, 
They'll  own  that  more  than  mortal  hand 

Hath  left  its  signet  here.  J.  E.  M. 


I  will  not  woo  the  heavenly  nine  to  sing  tliy  matchless 
liiury,  0  Niagara!  For  should  they  strike  the  harp,  and 
tune  the  lyre  to  notes  of  sweetest  music,  they  cuuld  not 
M-eavc  a  sono-of  numbers  true  as  those  which  thou  hast  sunir 
ever  since  darkness  was  dispelled  from  off  the  face  of  the 
waters.  One  ceaseless  hynm  to  nature's  God,  since  earth 
first  owned  his  power,  hast  tliou  b(^en  singing — not  in  lan- 
t;iiage  such  as  mortals  frame,  but  in  a  voice  that  speaks 
luiuier  than  thunder  from  the  angry  sky,  telling  to  all  that 
nature  haa  a  God — to  whom  in  presence  of  this  his  grandest 
work,  in  humble  reverence  I  submissively  bow. 

.1.  M.  Smith,  Jr. 


m 


ill 


B 


ARD. 


tor  when 
Lit  rude 
D.  R. 


( 


1-aiul  of  my  birth!  land  of  the  "  Rtrijx's  and  stars!" 

Studious  of  peace,  victorious  in  tliy  wars! 

How  has  my  bosom  swelled  with  patriot  j)ride, 

To  think  no  rival  could  thv  fame  divide. 

(M't  as  I've  cliinb'd  thy  summit's  loftiest  mounts, 

And  traced  tliy  mightiest  rivers  to  their  founts, 

(Jr  braved  tlie  fury  of  thy  uiland  waves, 

Or  sought  the  depths  of  thy  capacious  caves — 

How  lias  my  heart  exclaimed,  "  Land  of  the  free, 

Wliat  uL'itchless  wonders  centre  all  in  i\\w.  !" 

With  thoughts  like  these  I  sought  these  Western  shores, 

Wlit're  Nia;j;ara's  stream  its  current  j)ours. 

I  passed  the  ranids  to  the  isle  of  (Joats,* 

(Hut  saw  no  creatures  save  the  cows  and  shnats;^ 

'  riK«  (jl  a  CfTlaiii  njic. 


68 


TABLE    BOCK    ALBUM. 


Toiled  up  the  turret,  walked  beneath  the  clift^ 
And  crossed  the  foaming  waters  in  a  skiff, 
Rode  up  the  bank,  and  stood  on  Table  Rock, 
Felt  the  earth's  tremor  at  the  wondrous  shock ! 
But  here  for  thee  I  felt  a  thrill  of  shame — 
No  conscious  triumph  warmed  my  drizzled  frame. 
My  pride  was  humbled,  and  my  boast  was  small ; 
For  England's  King  has  got  the  fiercest  Fall! 


.^ 


A.  U.  Z. 


United  States,  June  1,  1836. 


Now,  if  I  try  to  write,  I  guess 
You'll  lind  it  but  an  awkward  mess. 
When  I  do  write  there  is  nwic  such; 
Therefore,  I  never  do  write  much. 
All  creation's  sons  and  daughters, 
When  they  come  to  view  these  waters, 
Think  they  must  scribble  poetry — 
And,  if  1  can,  why  should  not  1  ? 
But  tea  is  ready  now,  they  say, 
And  I  must  put  it  off  to  day; 
And  if  I  can't  write  well  to-morrow, 
I'll  do  as  others  do — I'll  borrow. 


My  wife  and  1  wont  round  the  Falls  ; 

My  wife  and  T  came  back  again  ; 
My  wife  and  I  went  up  the  hill  ; 

And  only  think — we  fell  no  pain! 


L.  B. 


.4' 


The  Fall  aro  all  T  fancied  them. 

But  O,  they  are  not  mine  ; 
And  if  they  were  I'd  wish  tiiem  tlien, 

Not  what  they  are — but  winu. 


ni\< 
r;H 
but 


,1    f 


TABLE    ROCK  ALBUM. 

Sit  by  this  roaring  surge, 

Thou  whom  scorn  wtisteth  ; 
And  let  thy  musing  be 

Where  the  Flood  haste th. 
Mark,  on  its  troubled  breast, 
Rolls  the  white  billows  crest: 
So  deem  his  thoughts  unrest, 
Who  of  love  tasteth. 

Smile  thou,0  greatly  wise  ; 

And  if  fate  sever 
Bonds  which  thy  heart  doth  prize, 

So  was  it  ever. 
Deep  as  the  rolling  seas, 
Soft  as  the  twilight  breeze  ; 
But  of  more  truth  than  these, 

Boast  could  love  never. 


69 


A.  II. 


Here  may  each  traveller  behold 

The  names  of  friends  belov'd  of  old. 

Whate'er  the  clime  from  which  he  came, 

Still  will  he  lind  some  well-known  name, 

To  call  to  mind  departtul  hours, 

When  l'ri(Midship  strewed  his  way  with  Howers, 

Or  youthfid  love  with  sun-lit  eye, 

Look'd  down  to  bh^ss  him  with  a  siLch : 

And  fancy,  lired,  will  plume  her  wings, 

For  eagle  flight  to  I'airy  sph('ro?J, 
While  memory  pleased — enraptured,  clings 

To  each  loved  name,  ^vitll  smiles  an(t  tear^^. 

D.  C.  M. 


The  effect  produced  upon  the  mind  by  gazing  on  thi. 
mi;^hty  avalanciie  of  waters  is  tl:e  reverse  of  those  exhilas 
rating  emotions  which  we  experience  in  studying  the  (piiet 
beauties  of  a  sparkling  cascade,  which  charms  the  ear  and 


10 


TABLE    HOCK    ALBUM. 


soothes  tlio  heart  with  its  light  tones  of  music,  Our  feelings 
partake  of  grandeur  and  sublimity,  as  we  behold  these  mad- 
dened waters  take  their  tremendous  plunge  into  the  abyss 
below.  Let  proud  man  look  on  in  silence,  and  feel  his  own 
nothingness.  Old  Ocean  herself  might  stand  rebuked  in  the 
presence  of  this  untamed  giant  of  Eternity. 

Harrison  T.  Beardsley. 


There's  grandeur  in  the  lightning  stroke, 

That  rives  the  mountain  ash ; 
There's  grandeur  in  the  giant  oak, 
And  rainbow-beauty  in  the  smoke, 

Where  crystal  waters  dash. 

Alethks, 


Away,  ye  blockheads,  to  a  grammar  school, 
And  learn  to  write,  spell,  scan  and  parse  by  rule; 
Scrrttch  then  your  heads,  and  scratch  your  doggerel  verse- 
It  may  perhaps  be  better  —  can't  be  worse. 


You'd  better  close  your  cf/cs  —  not  ef/c  your  clothes. 


If  I  A\  ore  annoyed  with  a  termaixant  wife. 
Whose  tongue  was  the  bar-e  of  my  every-day  life. 
To  try  to  get  rid  of  her  pestilent  clatter, 
I'd  live  on  the  brink  of  this  great  fall  of  water. 

SOCRATKS. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


71 


1  came  a  long,  long  way  to  see 

This  mighty  sheet  of  water; 
And  wished  that  I  could  only  be 

At  home  with  wife  and  daughter. 

Tiios.  P.  Hunt,  M.  D.,  iV.  Carolina. 


Well  now,  1  swow,  if  Niagara  aint  a  little  bit  the  darnd- 
est  place  that  ever  1  seen.  Perhaps,  stranger,  you've  never 
heen  to  old  Kentuck.  If  you  liaint,  just  allow  me  to  tell  you 
in  the  most  delicate  way  in  the  world,  that  that  ere  place 
beats  all  natur  for  steaui  boats  and  ilIi<;ators:  but  I'll  be  te- 
tutall'd  if  it  would'nt  be  rather  a  skittish  aft'air  to  go  down 
this  here  water  in  a  "broad  horn." 

E.  S.  B. 


I  can  only  say  that  the  sublimity  of  the  scenery  around 
Niagara  Falls,  with  that  of  the  Fall  itself,  exceeds  my  most 
sanguine  expectations.  The  lofty  precipice  over  which  the 
wateis  of  Erie  tumble  into  Lake  Ontario,  raioht  convince  any 
philosophical  mind  that  this  is  an  excellent  place  for 
Cardiny  Machinery!  Zindkndouf. 


if  if 


'Ia 


Thank  you  most  to  death,  sir;  Pve  got  my  money's  worth 
of  cold  water.  1  rather  o-uess  it  would  take  a  ''considerable'' 
lung  winded  chap  to  stand  twenty-four  hours  on  Tehmina- 
iiON  Rock.  S. 


■i 


Roll  on  Niagara,  thou  mighty  cataract, 
Magniticent  memento  of  thi;  power  of  God! 
Thy  changeless  song  of  praise  commenced  with  time, 
And  will  continue  to  eternity. 


72  TABLE    UOCK    ALBUM. 

On  this — ilie  morning  that  Commemorates 
The  resurection  of  the  Son  of  God — 
The  hour  when  christians  meet  to  worship  Him — 
I  hail  thee  with  astonishment  and  awe. 

Francis  Duncan. 


I  stood  on  the  clitF,  and  astonished,  gazed  round, 
Saw  the  waters  rush  o'er,  and  heard  them  rebound  ; 
And  1  thought  if  my  love  sliould  slip  and  fall  so, 
She  might  tumble  alone,  for  /wouldn't  go. 

July  'ZO,  1837.  0-. 


I  stare  with  wonder,  and  alas  ! 

How  bad  a  body  feels. 
To  think  how  difficult  this  pass 

For  emigrating  eels ! 


My  thoughts  are  strange,  sublime  and  deep 

As  I  look  up  to  thee — 
What  a  glorious  place  for  loashing  sheep 


Niagara  would  be! 


Beauty  and  sublimity — twin  sisters,  rocked  on  the   bosom 
of  terror! 


Tell  them  I  AM,  Jehovah  said  ; 
Niagara's  waters  heard  with  dread, 

And  smitten  to  the  heart, 
At  once,  above,  beneath,  around. 
The  Cataract,  in  thundering  sound, 
Replied—"  O  Lord,  Thou  Akt  !  " 
New  York,  Jos.  H.  Patten. 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


73 


ON  THE  DEATH  OF  A  MAN  WHO  FELL  OVER  THE  FALLS. 

What  can  more  awful  be,  perhaps  you  say, 
Than  to  meet  death  in  such  a  sudden  way  ? 
What  can  more  awful  be  .^     Have  you  not  heard  ? 
I'll  tell  you  then — to  meet  it  unprepared. 

J.  Hall. 
Weymouthy  England. 


Look  up  to  where  the  mist  arises, 
And  see  where  God  himself  baptizes  ! 


Let  no  one  think  'tis  loaste  of  time 
To  view  this  waste  of  waters — 

The  scene  is  all  alike  sublime 
To  Poets  and  "  Bo<)trolters." 


Lydia 


A.  B. 


All  ye  perturbed  souls  that  go, 
With  restless  fnotsteps  to  and  fro, 
Riinninu-  here  and  scuddiny;  there. 
Backward,  forward,  every  where — 
Ve  who  haste,  in  double  time. 
From  every  region,  every  clime, 
Hold,  one  moment,  pray  ye  stay, 
And  hearken  what  I've  got  to  say  ; 

EU'stless  spirits,  tranquil  sleep. 

Invade  not  ye  my  sacred  keep  ; 

Come  not  to  Niagara  Fall, 

To  scribble  nonsense,  scratch  and  scrawl. 

Go,  your  footsteps  trespass,  rudt.', 

On  my  awful  solitude — 

Go,  ye  little  reptiles  vain, 

Go,  and  get  ye  home  again. 

Thk  Spirit  of  the  Waters. 


h\ 


••♦  m. 


74 


TABLE    ROCK  ALBUM. 


1  am  tliankful  that  I  have  been  permitted  to  view  from  this 
spot  tii»'  ()!ace  where  it  has  been  truly  and  beautifully  said. 
"  the  Almighty  notches  his  centuries  in  the  eternal  rocks." 

W.  F.  D.  Hoy. 


A  name!  a  bubble! — Whence  came  it?  Whither  gone? 
Like  the  rush  of  water  which  hurrieth  to  the  precipiciV. 
edge — 'tis  forever  gone — ftrgolten!  Thus  it  is  with  man — 
.1  worm,  an  atom  of  life's  nothingness. 


If  you  should  deem  sublimity  in  water, 

.lust  take  a  view  from  here  and  spend  a  quarter. 

Hak  Tkndkr. 


'y, 


Built  by  the  golden  sun,  by  day. 
And  by  the  silvery  moon,  at  night, 

Is  seen  amid  the  torrent's  spray, 
An  everlasting  rninbow's  light, 

JSerene  above  th(^  cataract's  rage, 

Cheerino"  the  storm  it  can't  assuaae. 


Why   are   the  Falls  like    a   woman 
always  making  a  noise. 


-Because   they   are 
Silent  Man. 


What  would  have  been  the  effect  upon  the  eloquence  of 
Demosthenes,  had  he  climbed  the  rugged  steep  of  NingfiM, 
gathered  peebh'S  from  its  torrent-washed  shores,  and  iiiedto 
raise  l)is  voice  above  the  roar  of  the  cataract? 

Zeno 


1 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


76 


In  all  likelihood  he  would  have  torn  his  pantaloons,  and 
taken  a  devlish  cold.  Vell,  vox  of  it. 


Ages  on  ages  Niagara  has  been  pouring 

Its  deep  green  waters  o'er  the  ledge's  brink  ; 

Ages  on  ages  more  it  may  keep  roaring — 
A  measureless  and  mighty  mass  of  drink  ! 


Beautiful,  sublime  and  glorious, 
Wild,  majestic,  foaming,  Tree — 

Over  time  itself  victorious — 
image  of  eternity. 


J.  F.  C. 


Lo  !  dey  come — do  peoples  much 

De  French,  de  Anglais,  Ya\ikee,  Dutch — 

Lo  !  dey  come,  and  liore  dey  view 

De  vorld  of  vaters — not  a  {k^^n. 

De  peoples  come,  and  den  dey  tell 

De  verse  dey  know  not  how  to  spell  ; 

And  what  is  very  much  absurd, 

Dey  ignorant  of  Anglais  word. 

Ma  foi,  indeed,  I  tink  my  verse 

De  best — I'm  sure  'tis  not  de  worae. 

Francois. 


*•  Free  !  ay,  as  air,* 

Or  as  the  stream  that  leaps  the  cataract, 
And  in  eternal  thunder  shouts  to  heaven 
That  it  is  free,  and  will  be  free  forever  ! 


Quiz. 


*  Not  fre'e  from  rlicuiiiatitiu  ihouirh. 


H^ 


TAfiL£    ROCK    ALBUM, 


The  morn  was  fair,  the  skies  were  clear,  as  we  stj  x*  ipon 
the  Rock — four  dis/inguished  <r<'nlleinen  Irom  Texas  irvj 
notliing  WHS  to  be  seen  in  the  blue  vault  of  heaven,  8:\ve  one 
little  Heeling  cloud  that  flouted  over  the  aaure  space,  and 
looked  like  some  wandering  angel's  bed-quilt  huny  out  to  dry. 

Probably  angels'  "  bed-qu'»lts"  are  peculiar  to  the  region 
of  Texas.     We  in  Canada  have  no  conception  of  such  things, 

Why  should  you,  when  there  are  no  "  angels  "  in  it? 

Are  angels  peculiar  to  Texas  ? 

"  Guess"  not — they  would  not  stay  long. 

Well,  but  they  might  stop  one  night  bv  the  way,  and 
would  therefore  want  a  "bed-quilt" — the  shekt  is  always 
ready  here  when  they  come. 

No  it  isn't  either,  because  it  is  never  dry. 

If  they  want  dry  sheets,  they  had  better  bring  them  in 
their  trunks. 

Angels  are  not  elephants,  you  goose  ;  they  don't  carry 
trunks. 

Elephants  do'nt  carry  sheets  in  their  trunks  either. 

No,  nor  do  you  carry  brains  in  yonr  head. 

Nor  you  any  where  else.     " 


DISCOVERY  Ob^  TIORMINATION  RUCK. 

A  young  salmon,  one  day, 

To  his  mother  did  say, 
•'  1  should  very  much  like  a  nice  leap  through  the  spray." 

The  oil  ladv  said,  "  Why, 

If  you  like  you  may  try; 
But  I  guess  that  the  jump  will  be  found  rather  high  " 


TABLE    ROOK    ALBUM. 


11 


Then  she  just  took  a  peep, 

But  thought  it  too  deep: 
"No,  no,"  said  mamma,  "  catch  a  weasel  asleep — 

Mind,  child,  if  you  go  *• 

To  the  regions  below. 
What  will  become  of  you  then  I  don't  know." 

But  the  young  fish,  so  wise, 

Did  its  mother  despise  ; 
And  being  adventurous  straightforward  tries. 

Soon  it  fell  from  the  edge, 

And  got  dashed  on  a  ledue, 
Whence  an  Indian  to  bring  it  back  soon  gave  a  pledge. 

The  Indian  so  brave 

His  pledged  hunor  to  save, 
Found  a  path  by  the  rock  out  of  reach  of  the  wave  ; 

Through  spray  and  through  squall, 

He  returned — iish  and  all  ; 
And  he  was  the  first  that  went  under  the  Fall. 

Mr  Forsyth  then  came, 

And  went  under  the  same, 
And  thus  to  posterity  handing  his  name. 

What  after  befell. 

The  guides  best  can  tell — 
/  went,  with  my  wife  ;  and  we  both  liked  it  well  ! 

H.  SVLVESLER, 

Vicarage^  Buckingham,  England. 
October  24,  1839. 


Niagara,  can  words  express 

Thy  wondrous  majesty, 
Great  Queen  of  floods  enrobed  in  clouds- 

Thou  emblem  of  eternity  ? 

I  'vc  stood  upon  thy  trembling  shore 

At  dead  of  night,  and  heard 
The  mighty  thunder  of  thy  roar, 

While  earth  itself  has  stirred. 


78 


TABLE    KOCK    ALBUM. 


I  've  seen  thy  gulf  when  silvered  o'er, 

Beneath  tlie  moon-lit  sky,  • 
While  wreatlis  of  spray  resemblance  bore 

To  phantoms#tU)ating  by  ; 
And  I  have  gazed  upcjn  thy  bow — 

That  bridge  of  colored  light, 
On  which  our  fancies  heaven-ward  go, 

In  visions  of  delight. 

J. 
Odoler  \1,  1846. 


G. 


H. 


I  have  been  to  "  Termination  Rock," 
Where  many  have  been  before  ; 

I3uL  as  I  cau't  describe  the  scene, 
I  won't  say  any  more. 


H.    SiLVEflTKR. 


1(  von  cannot  describe  the  scene — 
Wliich  all  sliould  mucli  deplore — 

Inferior  bards  >houlil  drop  their  pens — 
Their  verse  will  be  a  bore. 


I  stand  upon  Niagara's  dizzy  lieighls, 
Gazing  far  down  into  the  fearful  gulf, 
Ami  listt'ning  to  th«^  sleepless  meNidy, 
That  never  tires,  but  stili  keeps  booming  on. 
Deep  ( rhoing  to  the  eternal  praise  of  (Jod. 
Tremblingly  beliind  the  flowing  drapery 
Of  n)ist,  I  stoop,  and  list  nn«'art]dy  sounds 
Ringing  all  rouiul,  above  me  and  beneatli. 
(lod,  thou  art  present  with  m  •,  and  the  voice 
Ts  tliine  that  winspers  me — *'  Heware." 

Xia(/(rra,  Oct.,  IHW. 


G.  M. 


TABLU    KOCK    ALBUM. 

I  '11  climb  the  mountnin  tops, 

And  there  I'll  guage  the  weather  ; 
I  Ml  wrench  the  rainbow  from  the  clouds, 


And  tie  both  ends  toirether. 


79 


C.  0.  B. 


H. 


Hoch,  sirs,  but  its  an  awfu'  plarc  this — its  waur  and 
wilder  than  the  Clauchan  of  Abufayle,  only  there  are  nae 
breekless  hielanders  about  it.  Ma  conscience  !  If  Helen 
McCJreoor  Wduld  na'  hae  gi'en  up  the  reversion  o'  her  revenge 
on  the  lowlanders  to  have  had  sic  a  linn  as  this  to  throw  puir 
Morris  over.  (Jude,  safe  us!  but  it  uars  me  f>rue  to  think  o' 
that  fearsome  limrner  in  connection  wi'  tiiis  fearsome  oulf. 
If  she  had  the  hale  race  o'  the  sassenach,  as  she  ca's  them 
in  her  outlandish  gibberish,  on  the  brink  o'  this  awfu'  howf, 
f  dinna  mak  the  least  doot  that  she  could  wi'  a  crook  o'  her 
mou'  rv'*t  up  a  hale  army  o'  hieland  savages  to  rise  up  out  o' 
thae  wuds  to  drive  them  ower.  What  would  my  faither, 
the  DcaciMi,  ha'e  thocht  if  ho  ever  could  ha'e  jaloused  that  I 
should  (lum'er  sae  far  frae  the  saut  market,  and  come  amang 
wild  Indians,  waur  even  than  hielanders,  onlv  that  their  claes 
come  farther  down  ower  their  hurdics,  and  in  especial,  amani^ 
fouk  ca'in'  themsel's  civileezed,  whae  chairge  sae  muckle  for 
their  victual  and  drink. 

NicoL  Jarvik. 


Here  speaks  the  voice  of  (Jod — let  man  be  dumb, 
Nor  with  his  vain  aspirings  hither  come. 
Tiiat  voice  impels  the  hollow-sounding-  llv)ods, 
And  like  a  Presence,  fills  the  distant  woods. 
Thc.se  groaning  rocks  tiu*  Almighty's  linger  piled; 
l''()r  aucs  iu'rc  his  painted  l)o\v  has  smih'd. 
Mocking  the  changes  and  the  chance  (tf  time — 
J'^ternal,  beautiful,  serene,  bublinu-! 

Willis  Gavlord  Olauk. 


80 


TABLK    KOCK    ALBUM. 


Down  Iho  Steep  an  ocean  pours, 
Loud  the  rushing  water  roars. 
Oh,  how  shadowy  were  the  way. 
It'  no  rainbow  lit  the  spray  ! 
Here  a  love-sick  swain  may  find 
Speedy  cure  for  anguished   mind. 
Take  one  plunge,  and  every  wo 
Down  the  gulf  will  quickly  go. 


J.  Austin,  Texas. 


Here  fools  from  all  lands  take  of  irazino-  their  fill, 
In  wonder  that  water  will  run  down  a  hill. 


Cyrus. 


The  wealth  of  Croesus  mioht  have  built 
A  thousand  Congress  Halls  ; 

But  what  a  sight  it  must  have  cost 
To  build  Niagara  Falls  ! 


I  should  have  surely  written  a  poem  here  ;  but  my  muse 
has  got  water  logged. 

John  Smyth,  Land  Agent,  L.  L.  D,  and  P.  L. 


"  Water-logged,"   Mister  Smyth,  are  you  sure  that  the  log 
In  the  way  of  yonr  muse  is  not  swimming  in  grog? 

Sir  Walter  Scott. 


He's  a  gomeril,  that  Smyth — n  pure  feckh'ss  body — 
Wha  tlu'  «Ie'iI  can  write  poetry  wha  canna  drink  toddy  ?- 
What  a  pour  o'  (Jlenlivet — an  ocean  and  niair — 
It  would  tak'  to  mix  up  that  cauld  water  down  there  ! 

KtTRICK  SlIErUERD. 


TAHLE    HOCK    ALBUM. 

Look,  look  up  ;  the  spray  is  dashing, 

Roaring  waters  foam  and  sweep, 
O'er  3'oiir  head  the  t<»rrent  dashing, 

Hurls  its  grandeur  down  the  steep. 
O,  mortal  man,  beneath  such  spU-ndors, 

How  trilling,  mean,  and  vain  and  poor  ! 
Prepare,  then,  sinner,  to  surrender 

All  thoughts  unhallowed  and  irapur.i. 
Terrilic  is  the  scene  around  you — 

Mark  ye  how  wild  the  waters  ring  ; 
Columns  of  wreathing  cloud  surround  you- 

This  is  thy  work,  ()  God,  our  King! 


61 


Niayara  Falh,  September  21,  1839. 
My  Dear  Motiikr; 

1  guv'ss  this  river  is  tlie  wrathiist,  go-ahead,  hand  over- 
hand, frothiest  hit  of  water  1  ever  s(!en.  The  waves  comes 
streakin,  one  artcr  another,  like  galls  out  of  n.  meetin  house, 
when  the  picachin'sover  ;  and  keeps  churnin  about  till  they 
liker  turns  to  milk,  but  somp*  how  the  milk  worr  Mrn  to  but- 
ter in  summer,  though  it  du  look  creamish.  fc-  jnive  Harnett, 
who  lives  here,  ses  he  gits  it  up  in  winier,  aud  sells  it  out  in 
purspirin  times  for  ice-cream  ;  but  may  I  ? wallow  a  hookm 
ox  if  1  believe  him.  Sich  a  nise  as  it  u.nkes  i  never  iieerd 
tell  on.  It  beats  high  preshure  ingines  tmrsting  their  bilers. 
[  ciin't  kalkilate  how  maey  hos-power  tliis  stream  is  ;  but  I 
rayther  think,  that  if  Ohio  was  hitched  to  one  eend  of  an 
everlastin  tull"  chain,  and  this  here  Niagara  to  tolher'  that 
the  state  would  come  over  the  Fal's  as  easy  as  a  ni;';htcHp 
over  ti  walking  sti<'k.       And   then  what  fhey  call  sprai/.  (we 


H2 


TABLE    laJCK   a:-uim. 


sjiv  laiti  on  our  side)  keeps  on  fallin  aad  fallin  till  a  feller  j^ebi 
as  wft  as  tlic  inside  of  a  wiiiskcy  barl.  Folks  think  nolhin 
of  it  here — 1  spnsu  it  saves  wasliin;  it  don't  save  irnin  tliough. 

tlic  starcaso  wiLh  gonwnds  as  stitf 
and  when  they  keni  back  a-in 


I'uf  1  seen  tu  i>als  !;o  ciow 

and  pussy  as  a  turkey  rooster 

you  couldn't  liave  teld  'era  from  marmaid 

There    is   a   place   under  the  water  called   "  Tarmin.ilion 
Rock,"   which  they  Wc».^ted  me  to  see  ;    but  as  the  ticket  for 


(1 


Patch,  1 


uuv 


a  Uive  w(  n^  a  (ioliar,  and  mv  name  N.asn'i  ttam  ratch, 
Jim  Lane  50  cents  to  take  the  job  olf  my  liands.  Well,  he 
went  into  a  leetle  room  while  1  was  a  luokin  at  some  puterfac- 
tions,  kristals,  and  other  scientilic  things  a  i^al  was  explainin  to 
me,  when  a  feller  comes  behind  me,  and  guv  me  a  bump  (jn 
the  hack  as  hard  as  a  calf  suckin  a  dry  cow,  and  hollers  (jut, 
*'  Here  I  ure,  b(joked  for  Tarmiiiation  ;"  and  there  was  ,lim, 
sure  enuf,  witli  such  an  out  of  the  land  coat  and  hat  on.  that 
I'd  a  taken  him  for  a  rielar  built  furrener.  Uut  Jim  fcdt  as 
tine  as  a  pig'  with  a  sweet  apple  in  his  mouth,  and  went  a  turnin 
round  and  round,  with  his  coat  tails  thippin  round  his  head 
till  1  felt  red  all  o*'er  lest  the  gall  should  see  him.  I  thonL;ht 
Jim  didn't  know  his  trowses  was  wore  out  from  settin  on 
stones,  or  sich  like:  so  ses  1,  ''Jim,  you'd  better  go  under  at 
oncet,  and  kiver  }ourself  up  from  the  peak  eend  of  your  nose 
to  the  hole  in  y(  ur  under  kiverins."  With  that  Jim  claps 
his  hands  behind  him,  and  warlcet  himself  down  the  star- 
casi",  as  strat''  as  a  cork-skrew  inte  a  cider  bottle — lie  follerin 
on  a  gui(h',  and  I  a  fj  lerin  on  him.  IJut  we'd  not  u;oiie  fur, 
when  it  blue  so  screechin  hard,  and  rain<'d  so  slanlindiklarly, 
that  I  made  tracks  up  stairs  a-^in,  and  found  a  hull  conorena- 


tion   i.f  men   and    weemin'*;   riiin   thar  names  in   book> 


and 


making  poetry  on  th"  fdl.  They  was  all  snigoerin  when  I 
fust  went  in  ;  but  artei'  a  leeth*,  one  c»n  'em  comes  up  to  me, 
as  smiling  as  a  niunk»*y  when  its  done  scratc  hing,  and  ses  she, 
**\<iu  (//v  a  smart  chap,  and  I  see  by  the  rooster  of  your  ey^, 
y(»uVe  a  |)oetiser.  So  now,  du  rite  us  some  verses,  and  Vil 
get  *em  sot  to  musik,  and  ning  'em  for  you.'* 

'I'he  water  had  taktii  eeny  most  all  tiio  ambition  out  of 
me,  but  when  1  seen  them  all  lo^kin  at  me,  my  dander  cot 
uj)  and  (Idwn  I  sot  fmd  n^t  her  this  • 


TAHLE   ROCK   ALIJTJM. 


83 


VVii(;ri  1  cum  here,  I  felt  so  queer 

To  see  tlie  water  p(jun'ri', 
1  riz  my  eyes  up  to  the  .skies, 

And  I'elt  myself  a  suariii'. 

Jhit  when  1  got  near  out  of  site, 

I  lieerd  a  gal  a  callin'. 
And  turned  al)0ut  when  slie  did  shout, 

And  listened  to  lu-r  S([ualiin'. 

Ses  slie,  "  Dear  Sir,  I  know  you  are 

A  clever  poetiscr  ; 
Rite  me  a  line  now  most  divine, 

Nor  look  away  so  shy,  sir." 

Now  here  it  is,  and  for  a  kiss, 

I'll  rite  you  sich  another — 
Ses  she,  "you'll  wait  until  you  get 

'I'he  leave  of  aunt  and  mother." 

She  kept  lookiii  over  and  talkin  at  me  vvith  her  eyes,  and 
sometimes  sheM  t-ay  somethiii  tu;  aud  when  I'd  dun  I  felt  as 
proud  as  a  gardner's  dog  with  a  coll}  llow«r  tied  to  his  tail  ; 
and  they  was  complinienlin  me,  and  !  was  a  bowin  to  the 
ladies,  when  Jim  cui>u's  up,  the  miserablest  critter  that  ever 
got  out  of  a  mill-pond,  lie  sed  he'd  been  skeert  eeny  most 
to  death, and  thought  !us  pipe  was  put  out  for  etarnity.  The 
weemin  ha.v  hawd  at  him  till  he  elij)ped  away  to  change  his- 
sed f  ;  and  arter  that  we  went  to  the  hotel  whar  1  am  writin 
this  ;  whicii  Stpiire  liiirnett  will  forrerd  by  fust  passenger  for 
our  place,  ill  i.e  to  hum  soon,  and  iitch  some  curositys 
along  with  -iit;. 

Y'our  dutiful  Son, 

,Iakk  Slickekshin. 


Mrs  Sli(dversliin, 


S/ickf'rshin  Holler, 


Oh 


tin. 


s 


fpiire  Harnett  will  nbleege  .lake  Slickershin,  wiiot  hot  a 
puteil'aclion  of  him.  if  he'll  give  this  here  to  the  fust  pass^-n- 
ger  to  Slickershin  Holh-r;  and  if  none  offer  but  Quakers, 
he'd  best   keep  a  k(»ppy  to  serid  by  other  conveyance. 


8i 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


I  would  recommend  every  visiter  to  go  behind  the  "  Great 
Sheet  of  water"  to  "  Termination  Rock."  1  have  not  been 
there  myself;  but  from  all  accounts,  it  must  be  a  "tarnation 
cute"  place. 

T.  C.  TuFPEP,  Mississippi. 

October  26,  1830. 

At  ♦his  season  of  the  year,  I  should  advise  the  visiters  to 
go  under  the  blankets;  which  would  be  quite  as  likely  away 
to  show  their  "culeness." 


>.  ;!l  !  Sovereign  of  the  World  of  Floods,  whose  niMJesty  and 

might, 
First  dazzles,  then  enraptures,  then  o'eraws  the  acliing  sight. 
The  pomp  of  Kings  and  Emperors,  in  every  clime  and  Zone, 
Gjows  dim   beneath   the  splendorti  of  thy  gluiious  watery 

Throne. 

No  fleets  can  stop  thy  progress — no  armies  bid  tliee  stay; 
But  onward,  onward,  onward,   thy  march  still  holds  its  way; 
The  rising  mist  that  veils  thee,  as  thire  herald,  goes  before. 
And  the  music  that  proclaims   thee,  is  the  thunderinj^-  cata- 
ract's roar. 

Thy  diadem  is  an  emerald  green,  of  the  clearest,  purest  hue, 
Set  round  with   waves  of  snow   white  foam,   and  spray  of 

feath.ry  dew; 
While  tresses  of  the  brightest  pearls  float  o'er  thine  airiple 

sheet, 
And   the   rainbow  lays    ts  o    geous  gems,   in  tribute  at  thy 

feet. 


Thy  reign  is  of  the  ancient  days,  thy  sceptre   from  on  high. 
Thy  birth   was  when  the  morning  stars  together  sang  with 

joy: 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


85 


k  been 
[rnation 

vppi. 


liters  (o 
a  way 


The  sun,   the   moon,  and  all  the  orbs  that  shine  upon  thee 

now. 
Saw  the  first  wreath  of  t'lorv   that  entwined  thine   infont 

br(jw. 


And  from  that  hour  to  this,  in  wlwcli  I  gaze  upon  tliy  stream, 
From  age  to  age,  in  winter's  frost,  or  summer's  sultry  beam; 
By  day,  by  night — without  a   pause — tliy  waves  with  loud 

acclaim, 
In  ceaseless  sounds  have  still  proclaimed  the  Great  Eternal's 

name. 


For  wliether  on  thy  forest-bank,  the  Indian  of  the  wood, 

(>r  since  his  days  the  Red  Man's  foe,  on  his  father-land  have 

stood ; 
Whoe'er   has   seen  thy  incense   rise,   or  heard  thy  torrents 

roar, 
Must  liave  bent  before  the  God  of  Ail,  to  worship  and  adore. 

Accept,  then,  O  Supremely  Great!  O  Infinite!  O  God! 
From  this  primeval  altar — the  green  and  virgin  sod — 
The  humble  homage  tliat  my  soul  in  gratitude  would  pay 
To  Tiiee,  whose  shield  has  guarded  me  through  all  my  wan- 
dering way. 


For,  if  the  ocean  be   as  nauglit  in   the   hollow  of  thine  hand. 
And  the  stars  of  the  bright  firmament,  in  thy  balance,  grains 

of  sand ; 
If  Niagara's  rolling  Hood  seems  great,  to  us,  who  lowly  bow, 
0!  Great    Creator   of   the   Whole  !  how    passing   great  art 

Thou  ! 


Yet,  thougli  thy  power   is  far   more  vast  than  finite  man  can 

scan. 
More  boundless  la  thy  mercy  shown  to  weak  dependi^nt  man: 


HG 


T.\HI-1<:    HOCK     ALHLM, 


For  liim  Thou  cloth'st  the  fertile  liekls,  witli  herb,  and  fruil, 

and  seed  ; 
For  him  the  woodi-:,  the  h-dves,  tlie  sea,  supply  his  hourly  need. 

Around,  on  hii;h,  or  far  or  neai-,  the  Universal  Whole 
Proclaims  thy  ^lory,  as  the  tnbs  in  their  fixed  c()Urses  roll  ; 
And  from  Creation's  grati'lul  voiee,  the  liynin  ascends  above, 
While  Heaven  re-echo,'S   back   to   earth,   the  cliorus — "  Oijd 
is  Love  !" 

J,     S.     Rrc.KlNOHAM. 

Cliff nn  Hotel,  Niaoara,  July  2:1,  ]84r>. 


He  would  immortalize  his  name. — 

Jump  from  the  Falls,  mix  with  its  thundering  roar; 
And  his  would  be  hiuh  on  the  list  of  fame 

As  any  that  would  wish  to  soar. 

J.  BniKF*;. 

Oh,  Mr.  "J.  l^urke,"  tlnju  art  a  sad  wai>;,  T  ween, 
Suppose  3'ou  try  tln^  t»i<;k  yourself,  and  let  posterity 
Jvnow  how  you  felt  afterwards. 


Sliould  the  Ihitish  Lion  ever  come  to  the  Fa'ls  of  Niagara, 
he  will  there  see  the  proud  eaLiIe  of  American  Liberty  sitting 
in  his  maj<!Sty ;  and  will  go  nnuning  down  that  might}'  cata- 
ract in  des])air. 

If  the  American  P^agle  comes  to  the  British  side  of  the 
Falls,  that  same  old  Lion  will  pluck  his  feathers,  and  compel 
him  to  take  shelter  belTnul  a  eottdn  bale. 


Farewell,  Niauara — mav  ihv  min'htv  waters  roll  on  till  time 
is  no  more,  that  man  mav  learn  how  insiu'uilicant  are  all  his 
works  compar<'d  wlih  those  of  the  AlmigiUv. 

15.   W   VV 


lAUI.K    HOCK     AIJiUM. 


87 


('  iie<'d. 


liAl  ; 
I  above, 

IA>.T. 


i 


'•  Thy  palli  is  on  the  deep  waters." 
Thou  ot"  the  iinivcrsi',  vvliosc  sov(ireig'n  sway 
Call'tl  light  from  (larl<n(;ss,  uiid  IVoni  night  made  dav, 
Alone  prt'sidt'd  o'er  all  nature's  birth, 
Irave  ocean  bounds,  and  energy  to  earth; 
Sun,  moon  and  stars,  to  each  their  place  assigned, 
Subject  to  laws,  all  perfect  in  their  kind; 
Decked  this  gay  world  with  foliage,  Uowers  and  fruit, 
With  vaiious  seasons  as  eacli  clime  best  suit, 
With  mountain,  valley,  rivulet,  rock,  dell, 
Lawn,  meadow,  lake,  so  wisely  and  so  well. 
All  living  creatures  formed  beneath  the  sky, 
From  the  huge  mammoth  to  the  sm  dK-st  tly  ; 
]3irds,  beasts,  fish,  insects — e\ery  thing  below, 
Life,  instinct,  being,  to  thy  bounty  owe  ; 
Man,  lord,  and  woman,  loveliest  of  all, 
The  tempted  still,  since  tempted  first  to  fall  ; 
Kmblem  of  hope  o'er  sorrows  darkening  gl<Jom, 
Man's  solace  from  the  cradle  to  the  tomb. 
Ikit  viewing  nature  with  admiring  eye, 
In  all  her  charms,  wood,  landscape,  ocean,  sky, 
While  due  proportion  will  in  each  appear, 
While  all  is  good,  the  master-piece  is  here. 
LL;re  where  'mid  waters  wild,  and  torrents  hoarse, 
.Mighty  Niagara  rolls  its  rapid  course, 
Sul)limely  awful  !  seeming,  even  now. 
An  ocean  tlowing  o'er  a  niduntain's  brow; 
So  grand,  and  yet  so  fearful  is  the  gaze. 
No  pen  can  paint,  no  t(  ngue  can  tell  its  praise  ; 
While  standing  spell-bound,  motionless,  b(!side 
Its  ceaseless,  changing,  overwhelming  tide, 
The  eye 'will  see,  the  heart  must  feel  liow  small 
Is  man  compar'd  with  the  first  cause  of  all. 
()  may  we  learn,  without  the  chastening  rod. 
Wondering  at  nature's  scenes,  to  worship  thee  her  God. 

DouoLAS  Stuart. 
September  16,  1844. 


88 


TABLE    ROCK    ALBUM. 


Here  is  recordi'd  the  startling  fart, 

1  have  btHjn  beneath  the  Cataract  ; 

Ijiil  ^'iaiiara's  fairest  daunhter 

Brini;-  me  a  gUiss  of  gin  and  water, 

When  linlf-seas  over,  fairly  reehng, 

I'll  tell  thee  all  about  that  feelino;. 

Talk  not  to  me  of  feelings  now, 

But  wipe  the  wild  spray  from  my  brow. 

And  "Ml  the  bridge  the  radiant  bow, 

A  heaven  above,  a  hell  below, 

VVe '11  speak  of  love,  or  fear,  or  sorrov, 

To-moirow — let  it  be  to-morrow.        W.  H.   -M.  M. 


Oh,  for  (he  pen  of  Byron  !     i  'm  inspired 
By  a  great  theme,  and  it  is  k>flier,  I  know, 

Than  that  uhich  erst  the  "gloomy  Harold  "  lired, 
When  sinoino-  df  thv  cataract,  V'elino! 

Alas,  my  verses  halt  and  blindly  stagger,  a- 

liong  'neath  their  load,  Oh,  most  sublime  Niagara  ! 

1  am  unequal  to  my  task,  yet  feel 

That  I  owe  generous  Mr.  Parnett  something, 

For  his  kind  cognizance  of  traveler's  weal. 
And  tlu»'  this  way  of  paying  is  a  rum  thing, 

J  do  it  cheeruil!y,  and  hope  this  sam])le, 

\\  111  make  all  poets  follow  my  example. 

1  love  to  read  these  books  of  turgid  verses. 
They  help  me  to  appreciate  the  sublime  ; 

And  it  is  pleasant  to  see  witless 

Scratching  their  pates  ami  conjuring  up  rhyme  ; 

While  gaping  crowds  stand  by  in  stupid  wonder 

To  see  them  almost  split  ;heir  skulls  asunder. 

FoMr  stanzas  are,  1  think,  a  dose  sufticient  ; 

Read  these,  ye  would-be  bards,  and  let  me  tell  ye. 
If  you  would  like  to  be  in  verse  proticient, 

1  have  the  secret  which  I  '11  clieaply  sell  ye  ; 
My  price  is  fixed.  I  cannot  from  it  vary, 
Two  shillings  tor  my  rhyming  dictionary. 
Jub/  4,  1841. 


SKETCHES  OF  NLVGARA  EAELS 

AND  THE  SCENERY  ADJACENT. 


INTRODUCTION. 


N.   M  M. 


n-(l, 


L-ara 


ivme 


id 


er 


tell 


y^' 


It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  publication  to  furnish  the 
tourist  with  a  guide  to  tlie  Fails  of  N  -^ara.  B.xjks  with 
this  object  are  already  as  numerous  as  'iie  routes  which  they 
describe  :  besides,  in  these  days  when  ^^  mboats  and  railroad 
cars  are  every  where  so  abundant,  the  fler  can   liave  no 

difficulty  in  reachinsr  his  destination,  without  the  aid  of  a 
"  Guide  Book,"  provided  he  can  make  himsvlf  intellinible  to 
the  people  whom  he  encounters  on  his  journey,  and  have 
money  enough  to  pay  for  his  passage.  We  intend  to  accom- 
pany him  only  while  he  is  at  and  around  the  Falls,  and  to 
point  out  to  him,  in  as  concise  and  explicit  terms  as  possible, 
the  difierent  objects  which  are  usually  deemed  most  worthy 
of  the  stranger's  observation  ;  at  the  same  time  giving  a  brief 
outline  of  the  peculiar  features  of  the  more  remarkable  of 
these  objects.  Description,  properly  so  called,  will  not  be 
attempted  ;  b^'cnuse,  at  best,  it  would  only  be  an  unsuccess- 
ful attempt.  It  might  be  easy  enouiih  to  write  a  voluranious 
essay  in  "prose  run  mad ;"  or  indite  a  poem — if  we  possessed 
that  gift — about  the  Falls  ;  but  neither  the  one  nor  the  other 
would  be  at  all  descriptive  of  the  scene.  Niagara  is  itself  a 
poe?ji  of  God's  own  making  ;  and  written  comment  on  its 
characteristics  can  convey  no  idea  whatever  of  them  to  those 
who  have  not  traced,  with  their  own  eyes,  the  finger  of  the 
Almighty  Author  in  this  stupendous  work  of  His  creative 
power.  It  is  beyond  th<;  reach  alike  of  delineation  nnd  ana- 
lysis ;  and  he  who  reads  all  the  other  books,  and  ours  into 
the  bargain,  which  profess  to  describe  the  Falls,  will  know  as 
little  about  them,  after  all,  as  it  he  had  never  read  a  word  on 
the  subject — let  him  co7}ie  and  see  / 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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33  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

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90  dKETCHES    OF    NIAGARA    FALLS. 


THE  CRESCEx^^T,  OR  BRITISH  FALL. 


We  shall  so  fur  depart  from  established  custom  in  treatini^- 
on  this  subject,  as  to  plunge  at  once  in  medlas  res — not  a-Ia 
Sam  Patch,  however  ;  but,  in  plain  English,  we  shall  com- 
mence with  our  remarks  at  the  Falls  themselves — the  oTeat 
centre  of  attraction,  and  diverge,  as  fancy  or  caprice  may 
suggest,  to  the  objects  of  subordinate  interest  around. 

It  matters  little  from  what  quarter  or  by  what  route  the 
tourist  may  come,  he  must,  either  in  the  first  place,  or  subse- 
quently, perch  himself  on  the  Table  Rock  ;  and  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  rules — differing  from  each  other,  according  to  the 
varying  tastes  of  individuals — w'hich  have  been  laid  down  as 
to  the  best  point  from  which  to  lake  a  tirst  view,  it  will,  in 
general,  be  found  to  be  of  little  or  no  consequence  whether 
he  take  up  his  position  now  or  afterwards  at  this,  that,  or  the 
other  place.  Whoever  comes  to  the  Falls  in  search  of  a 
startling  first  impression,  will  undoubtedly  make  the  nearest 
approach  to  the  object  of  his  search  by  giving  the  preference 
to  the  view  from  the  Table  Rock  ;  but  generally,  if  not  inva- 
riably, the  first  impression  is  one  of  partial  disappointment. 
Many  a  garnered  stock  of  poetry  and  anticipated  enthusiasm 
has  the  first  view  of  the  Falls  swept  away  ;  and  though  af- 
fectation may  crack  its  jaws  in  giving  utterance  to  all  the  rum- 
bling polysyllables  expressive  of  amazement  in  the  dictionary, 
it  is  afFe.ctation  nevertheless.  Let  the  man  who  gives  vent 
to  such  exclamations  as  "how  grand  !"  "how  terrible!"  &c., 
when  he  first  plants  his  foot  on  the  Table  Rock,  go  home  at 
once,  and  attend  to  the  business  of  measuring  pennyworths 
of  tape,  or  any  other  equally  prosaic  occupation,  to  which  he 
may  have  an  especial  calling.  He  has  evidently  anticipated 
nothing — there  is  none  of  the  enthusiasm  which  he  affects  in 
his  composition — he  has  come  to  see  the  sight,  because  it  is 
the  fashion.     "  Home,  home,  I  say  !  " 

Now  there  is  no  paradox  in  this  at  all,  because  if  antici- 
pation has  been  busy  previously  to  arriving'  here,  the  very 
process  of  demolition  which  the  fancy  picture  of  thn  Falls 
must  necessarily  undergo  in  the  presence  of  the  dread  reali- 


SKETCHES    OF    NIAGARA    FALLS, 


91 


Ireatina" 
Inot  a-la 
pll  com- 
jie  great 
lice  may 

ute  the 
Jr  subse- 
:hstand- 
(  to  tlie 
iown  as 
will,  in 
ivhether 
t,  or  the 
ch  of  a 
nearest 
ference 
ot  inva- 
ntment. 
lusiasra 
>ugh  af- 
le  rurn- 
tionary, 
es  vent 
!"  &c., 
ome  at 
worths 
lich  he 
•ipated 
ects  in 
se  it  is 

fintici- 
'    Very 

Falls 

reali- 


ty,  will  occupy  the  mind  to  the  exclu^^ion  of  those  feelings  of 
amazement  and  terror  which  the  scene  is  so  well  calculated 
to  inspire.  Ii  may  be  argued  that  this  cannot  be  the  case, 
inasmuch  as  tlu;  reality  far  surpasses  all  that  could  have 
been  anticipated  ;  but  it  should  be  remembered  that  the 
mind  cannot  easily,  and  at  once,  forego  its  own  long  indulged 
conceptions — they  have  become  part  and  parcel  of  itself  ;  and 
the  act  of  dissipating  cherislied  visions  must  in  some  degree 
unhinge  the  mind  for  a  momtait,  and  incapacitate  it  for  com- 
prehending at  once  the  full  measure  of  a  new  and  magniticetit 
idea.  The  wonder  is  so  grefit  tliat  our  anticipation  should 
have  been  so  difi'erent  in  kind  from  the  reality,  that  we  only 
partially  realize  at  first  the  difference  in  degree  of  magnifi- 
cence ;  and  it  is  not  until,  by  protracted  contemplation  of  the 
reality  the  picture  sketched  by  fancy  is  fo? gotten,  that  the 
full  glory  of  this  sleepless  concentration  of  might  and  majesty 
bursts  on  our  astonished  sense.^.  Thus  it  is,  that  disappoint- 
ment is  in  most  cases,  tlie  feeling  with  which  the  Falls  are 
first  beheld  by  the  stranger — his  attention  is  distracted  and 
bewildered  between  his  own  receding  dreams  of  Niagara, 
and  the  unimagined  sublimities  of  t!ie  actual  scene  itself, 
gradually  developing  themselves  before  him.  We  should 
hold  it  as  being  generally  true  that  he  who  is  not  more  or 
less  disappointed  with  the  Fall?-  when  they  strike  his  eye  for 
the  first  time,  from  whatever  point  he  views  them,  is  incapa- 
ble of  appreciating  the  glories  of  the  scene,  which  only  gradu- 
ally appear  to  the  eye  of  contemplation.  He  has  seen  all 
that  he  can  see  of  the  sight ;  therefore,  after  having  uttered 
all  the  unmeaning  exclamations  which  arc  patent  at  this 
place,  let  him  refresh  himself  with  ".  glass  of  brandy  and 
water  at  the  bar — if  indeed  his  poetical  ejaculations  have  not 
already  sprung  from  that  source,  rather  than  from  surveying 
the  wonders  of  nature — and  then  hie  him  home  with  all  con- 
venient speed,  to  his  shop  ;  and  let  him  never  come  back, 
unless  he  has  a  wife  and  children  to  bring  with  him  the  next 
time. 

If  it  were  possible  in  these  days,  when  the  "school-master 
is  abroad,"  for  a  })ers()n  to  light  accidentfilly  on  the  Table 
Hock,  without  having  previously  read  or  heard  of  the  Falls 
of  Niagara,  he  might  legitimately  indulge  in  the  tropes  and 


'1  I 


02 


SKETCHES    OF    NIAGARA    FALLS. 


figures  of  astonishment  ;  because  he  would  not  experience 
the  feeling  of  disappointment  to  which  allusion  has  been 
made.  But  would  he  do  so?  Assuredly  no.  His  emotions 
would  be  those  of  intense,  unutterable  terror,  and  amaze- 
ment ;  and  the  idea  of  expressing  them  by  words  would  not 
for  a  moment,  occur  to  his  imamnation.  The  "  how  beauti- 
ful  !"  of  this  boarding-school  miss,  the  "how  sublime  !"  of 
that  unfledged  poetical  law  or  divinity-student,  and  the  "Oh 
ray  God  !"  of  Mrs.  Fanny  Butler,  are  all  "leather  and  pru- 
nella"— the  quintessence  of  absurdity  and  affectation. 

But  this  is  a  long  digression,  besides,  perhaps,  a  violation 
of  the  rules  laid  down  in  the  Introduction. 

Well,  you  ..re  on  the  Table  Rock — say  for  the  first  time. 
There  is  a  view  before  you,  such  as  has  no  parallel  in  the 
world.  At  first,  if  you  have  been  dreaming  of  the  Falls 
before  your  arrival,  you  will  probably  say  hah  !  to  this  ;  but 
don't  be  in  a  hurry.  Wait  till  your  dream  has  vanished — 
evaporated  in  thin  air  ;  and  then  say,  if  you  can,  how  im- 
measurably beneath  the  truth  your  highest  imaginations 
were.  The  vastncss  of  the  volume  of  water — its  great 
breadth  especially — and  the  impenetrable  clouds  of  foam, 
which,  rising  from  the  fathomless  gulf  below,  envelope  and 
conceal  from  your  view,  perhaps,  nearly  half  the  altitude  of 
the  cataract,  detract  materially  from  the  apparent  altitude. 
It  is,  by  the  Avay,  in  regard  to  this  deterioration  of  the  appa 
rent  height,  or  rather  depth — for  it  is  at  the  bottom  where 
the  concealment  is — that  the  feeling  of  disappointment 
spoken  of  is  in  the  greatest  degree  experienced.  But  look 
again  and  again.  Perhaps  the  best  way,  if  you  have  nerve 
enough,  is  to  prostrate  yourself  flat  on  the  edge  of  the  preci- 
pice, and  look  down,  aid  down,  till  you  arc  giddy  with  ter- 
ror— nay,  not  terror  either,  but  some  undefinable  feeling  for 
which  language  has  no  appropriute  name.  But  in  this  case, 
be  sure  that  you  have  some  person  to  hold  you  by  the  feet. 
It  is  otherwise  a  dangerous  experiment,  especially  if  you  are 
of  an  excitable  temperament.  In  such  circumstances  a  mys- 
terious fascination  will  come  over  you,  if  }ou  gaze  too  long, 
and  you  will  feel  an  irresistible  impulse  to  spring  into  the 
dread  abyss — there  to  sport  amid  the  rainbow  glories,   and 


•II 


SnETCHES    OF    NIAGARA    FALLS. 


93 


lerience 
Is  been 
lotions 
jamaze- 
luld  not 
Ibeauti- 
!"  (.f 
16  "Oh 
id  pru- 

liolation 

t  time, 
in  tiie 
e  Falls 
s  ;  but 
shed — 

low  im- 

i  nations 
great 

f  foam, 

>pe  and 

tude  of 

Ititude. 

e  appa 
where 

ntment 

it  look 
nerve 

I  preci- 

th  tcr- 

ing  for 

s  case, 

e  feet. 

ou  are 

I  mys- 

>  lono-, 

to  the 

i,  and 


wrestle    witii    the   iii('orapro]i(?nsible  terrors  of   the    "secret 


deej 
makino- 


Tl 
till 


leal 


lis  IS  no  u 


s    expei'imerrt. 


exposition  o 


f  th 


e   sensations 


felt 


Th 


e    Avriter,    m    company    wi 


m 

ith 


others,  has  tried  it  aiiain  and  ao-ain  ;  and  the  result  has  inva- 
riably  been  as  above  described.  But  even  standing  erect, 
you  will  iind  the  scene,  if  you  keep  your  eye  steadily  Hxed 
on  any  one  feature  of  it.  growing  in  beauty  and  grandeur  as 
you  gaze.  The  cataract  in  general  presents  one  expansive 
sheet  of  foam  rushing  on  and  on,  for  ever  and  ever,  except 
where  the  water  is  deepest,  and  there  the  mighty  torrent,  im- 
bued with  vermilion  a?i  intense  as  it  is  unvarying,  pours  it- 

ity, 


■If  di 


di 


st'ir  down  witli  a  calmer,  but  lar  more  impressive  majest 
conveying  the  ich  a  that  tfie  [luwer  which  shakes  the  solid 
rocks  under  your  feet,  hath  its  throne  and  its  sanctuary  tliere, 
and  there  alone.  There  may  be  beauty  "  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory  ■'  in  the  prismatic  arch  which  spans  the  restless 
ocean  beneath,  and  fancied  mysteriousness  in  the  clouds  of 
spray  that  are  (;ver  and  anon  rising  in  spiral  columns,  and 
rolling  away  and  away  over  th<^  otherwise  cloudless  exj)anse 
of  the  azure  heaven,  but  it  is  in  that  ever  living  rush  of  deep 
green  waters  that  the  omnipotence  of  liiin  who  holds  them 
in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  is  most  vividly  typiHcd 

Pshaw!  —  We,  too,  are  getting  poetical,  notwithstanding 
oar  recorded  determination  to  the  contrary;  but,  situated  as 
we  are,  on  a  chair  which  is  rocking  under  us,  with  the  table 
on  which  we  write  trembling  visibly  before  us,  and  the  ceaso 
less  thunder  of  Niagara  booming  at  the  lone  hour  of  midnight 
in  our  ears,  how  can  we  help  't?  In  such  circumstances 
even  Tin  oyster  would  be  a  jioet  '  Wait  till  daylight,  and 
then  we  will  come  down  from  the  clouds,  and  talk  of  matters 
of  fact. 

Well,  then,  the  great  cataract,  called  the  "  Morse  Shoe 
Fall,"  though  the  name  is  not  now  descriptive  of  its  form, 
is  before  you.  The  idea  of  altitude  is  completely  lost  in 
that  of  velocity  and  power.  The  tremendous  force  of  this 
mighty  to:  rent  is  especially  manilesti'd  in  the  quivering  of 
the  pillared  rocks  beneath  your  feet,  and  the  perceptible 
vibration  of  the  earth  for  miles  around.  But,  in  the  absence 
of  any  power  of  description  of  our  own,  we  subjoin  an 
article,  which  contains  some  utatintidal  information  resL.pecting 


i  ! 


94 


SKETCHES    OF    NIAGARA    FALLB. 


this  "  wonder  of  nature,"  copied    from   the   Album   kept  at 
the  Table  Rock. 

"Never  shall  I  forget  the  intense  anxiety  with  which  I 
anticipated  the  sight  of  Niagara  Falls,  and  still  less  the 
awful  moment  when  I  first  beheld  the  mighty  cataract 
displayed  before  me. 

"To  enjoy  this  moment  I  had  made  great  sacrifices,  and 
encountered  some  difficullies.  I  had  not  only  protracted  my 
absence  from  home,  but  increased  my  distance  from  it  some 
hundred  of  miles.  Ample,  however,  was  my  recompense. 
I  had,  in  the  course  of  my  life,  beheld  some  of  the  most 
celebrated  scenes  of  nature  —  Etna  and  Vesuvius,  the  Andes, 
almost  at  tie  highest  point  of  elevation,  Cape  Horn,  rugged 
and  bleak,  buffeted  by  the  southern  tempest,  and  last,  though 
not  least,  the  long  heavy  swell  of  the  Pacific  ;  but  nothing  I 
have  ever  seen  or  imagined  can  compare  with  the  Falls  of 
Niagara. 

"  M)  first  sensation  was  that  of  exquisite  delight  at  having 
before  me  the  greatest  wonder  of  the  world.  Strange  as  it 
may  appear,  this  feeUng  \\i\§  immediately  succeeded  by  an 
irresistible  sensation  of  melancholj'.  Had  this  not  continued, 
it  minhl  have  been  attributed  to  the  satiety  incident  to  the 
complete  gratification  of  "hope  deferred  ;"  but  so  far  from 
diminishing,  the  more  I  gazed,  the  stronger  and  deeper  the 
feeling  became.  Yet  this  sense  of  sadness  was  strangely 
mino'led  with  a  kind  of  intoxicatino-  fascination.  Whether 
the  production  of  such  a  feeling  is  peculiar  to  Niagara  I 
know  not  ;  but  certainly  it  has  been  generally  observed  that 
the  spirits  are  afl^cted  and  depressed  in  a  singular  manner 
by  tiie  magic  influence  of  this  stupendous  cataract. 

*' About  five  miles  above  the  V'alls,  the  river  expands  to 
the  dimensions  of  a  lake  ;  after  which  it  gradually  narrows. 
The  Rapids  commence  at  the  upper  end  of  Goat  Ishmd, 
which  is  iialf  a  mile  in  Kr-ngt'.,  and  divides  the  river  at  the 
point  of  precipitation  into  two  unequal  pjirts  ;  the  larger  of 
which  is  distinguished  by  the  several  names  of  "  Horse 
feihoe,"  "Ciescent,"  and  '-British  Fall,"  from  its  semi- 
circular form  and  contiguity  to  the  Canadian  shore.  The 
sm  dler  is  named  the  ''American  Fall."  A  portion  of  this 
Fall  is  divided  by  a  rock  from   Goat   Island  ;    and   though 


SKETCHES    OF    NIAGAIIA    FALLS. 


96 


here  insigiiiiicant  comparatively,  this  portion  would  rank 
hioh  among-  European  water-falls.  Tb.e  height  of  the  Brit- 
ish  Fall  is  175  feet,  and  its  brearith,  in  one  unbroken  stream, 
is  700  yards.  Tlx;  e'xtremity  of  Goat  Island,  which  sepa- 
rates the  cataracts,  is  320  yards  in  breadth.  The  American 
Fall  is  370  yards  in  breadth,  and  160  feet  high  —  making 
the  total  breadth  nearly  1,400  yards.  I  must  not  omit  men- 
tioning that,  though  the  bed  of  the  river  sinks  to  so  great  a 
depth,  the  level  of  the  circumjacent  land  continues  nearly 
the  same  as  above  the  Falls. 

*•  The  quantity  of  water  which  rushes  over  at  the  cata- 
racts is  thus  computed  by  an  American  traveler  : — 'The 
river,  at  the  ferry  below  the  Falls,  is  seven  furlongs  wide, 
and,  on  an  average,  'J50  feet  deep.  The  current  runs  about 
six  miles  an  hour;  but,  supposing  its  velocity  to  be  only 
five  miles  an  hour,  the  (quantity  of  water  which  passes  the 
Falls  in  that  space  of  time,  would  be  more  than  85,000,000 
of  tons  avoirdupois.  If  we  estimate  it  at  six  miles  an  hour, 
the  quantity  will  be  more  than  102,000,000,  and  in  a  day 
would  exceed  2,400,000,000  tons.' 

*'  My  object  being  to  approach  as  close  to  the  cataract  as 
possible,  1  descended  the  bank  by  a  steep  winding  path,  to 
a  narrow  slip  which  foims  the  immediate  margin  of  the 
river.  Along  this  i  advanced  about  a  hundred  yards,  till  I 
arrived  at  the  very  edge  of  precipitation.  A.  person  may 
at  this  point  place  himself  within  an  inch  of  the  Cataract, 
and  dip  his  hand  into  the  water.  Proceeding  a  little  farther 
in  the  direction  of  the  stream,  1  came  to  a  kind  of  cork- 
screw ladder,  constructed  round  a  column,  to  enable  travel- 
ers to  descend  to  a  path  by  which  they  gain  the  lower  part 
of  the  Cataract,  and  have  a  magnificent  view  upwards. 

"  In  the  eveninu"  1  aeain  visited  the  Cataract  to  behold  it 
by  moonlight.  Taking  mv  seat  on  a  projecting  rock,  at  a 
little  di-tance  from  the  Falls  I  gazed  till  my  senses  were 
almost  entirely  absorbed  in  the  contempl  tion  of  this  most 
mao-niticent  scene.  Allhoueh  the  shades  of  night  increased 
the  sublimity  of  the  prospect,  and  'd<'epened  the  murmur  of 
the  falhng  flood,'  the  mijon,  in  placid  beauty,  shed  her  soft 
influence  ujjon  the  mind,  and  mitigated  the  terror  of  the 
Bcenie.     The  thunders  which  bellowed  from  the  abyss,  and 


96 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


the  brilliancy  of  the  falling  waters^  which  glistened  like 
molten  silver  in  the  moon!io-ht,  seemed  to  exhibit  in  abso- 
lute  perfection  the  rare  union  of  the  beautiful  ana  sublime. 

'♦Thomas  Day." 


TERMINATION  ROCK. 


You  have  looked  down  ;  but  the  half  has  not  yet  been 
seen — you  must  go  down  ;  not  indeed  into  the  gulf  unless 
you  are 

"  Gazed  with  care,  or  cross'd  in  hopeless  love," 

but  under  the  "great  falling  sheet  of  water,"  as  the  hand- 
bill expresses  it.  To  have  stood  and  gazed  on  a  mighty 
ocean  of  water  rushing  innocuously  over  your  head,  will  be 
somt^thinij  to  talk  of  in  all  your  after  days  ;  and  if  you  per- 
form the  feat,  you  will  be  furnished  with  a  ce  titicate  to  that 
effect,  under  the  hand  of  Mr.  Barnett,  the  guide,  assuring 
all  and  sundry  whom  it  may  concern,  of  the  fact.  Before 
going  on  tliis  voyage  of  discovery,  however,  you  have  a 
metamorphosis  to  undergo.  You  must  strip  "  in  pi/ris 
naturaUbus  ;"  but  don't  be  startled —  vou  do  not  go  down 
into  the  great  deep  in  this  state  of  primitive  nudity.  Bar- 
nett has  an  ample,  though  grotesque  wardrobe  for  your 
especial  use,  from  which  you  may  select  litting  equipment 
for  the  occasion.  There  are  dressino'-rooms  too,  as  well  as 
dresses  ;  and  if  you  are  a  lady,  you  will  have  one  of  your 
own  sex  to  Avait  upon  you  at  your  toilette  You  will  look 
rather  odd,  to  be  sure,  in  your  oil-cloth  habiliments  and 
straw  hat  ;  but  never  mind  —  'beauty  is,  when  unadorne  l 
adorned  the  most.'  You  will  also  have  an  experienced 
guide  to  accompany  you   "within  the  veil." 

Y'our  path  is  somewhat  circuitous  certainly  ;  but  is  is  a 
good  and  safe  path  nevertheless,  providing  your  guide  is  an 
experienced  one.  From  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  is  a  shelv- 
ing declivity  over  immense  rocks  and  fragments  of  lime- 
stone down  to  the  river.  After  you  get  down,  there  is  a 
foot-path,  by  which  you  can  reach  with  perfect  safety,  the 
end  of  your  journey,  appropriately  named  "Termination 
Ro'ck."     Never  mind    the  projecting  cliffs,  /rowning  in  tisr- 


I 


SKETCIIE8    OF    NIAGARA    FALLS. 


97 


d  like 
abso- 
lime. 


it  been 
unless 


rible  grandeur  high  over  head,  on  the  one  side,  nor  the 
fathomless  gulf  of  turbulent  waters  on  the  other.  You  may, 
of  course,  and  you  ouglit,  to  look  and  wonder  at  both  ;  but 
you  need  not  be  frightened,  for  if  you  keep  by  the  gu'de  you 
are  perfectly  safe,  and  if  you  are  nervous,  he  will  tak<)  care 
of  y  )U.  Pay  no  regard  to  the  spray;  it  makes  a  good 
shower-bath  for  the  benefit  of  your  health.  Your  silk  or 
satin  dress,  you  know,  is  in  no  danger  of  being  spoiled. 
Your  curls  may  get  a  little  discomposed  ;  but  what  of  that? 
You  will  see  —  but  why  should  we  attempt  to  describe  what 
you  will  see.  There  would  be  just  as  much  sense  ir.  going 
out  with  a  land  surveyor's  chain  to  measure  the  extent  of 
the  universe,  or  in  professing  to  compute  the  cycles  of 
eternity  by  the  vibration  of  a  pendulum,  as  in  trying  to 
describe  the  scene  on  Termination  Rock.  Perhaps  we 
cannot  better  supply  the  want  of  a  description  of  that  which 
is  indescribable,  than  by  giving  place  to  the  following  little 
bit  of  autobiography  from  the  pen  of  one  who  seems  to  have 
exhibited  a  tenacity  to  the  rock  which  would  do  honor  to  our 
friend,  the  oyster,  mentioned  above : — 

"  Being  under  the  '  Sheet  of  Water,*  a  few  days  ago,  with 
a  gentleman,  and  observing  a  tolerably  smooth  surface  of 
rock,  I  was  seized  with  a  desire  of  cutting  my  name  upon  it. 
My  companion  endeavored  to  dissuade  me  from  the  attempt, 
as  being  one  attendee?  with  much   difficulty  and  some  dan- 
ger —  the  latter  arising  from  exposure  to  wet  for  so  long  a 
time   as    would   be  necessary    to   accomplish    the   task.     I 
determined,   however,   to    persevere  ;    and    having  obtained 
tools  this  morning,  (August   2,  1835,)  1  entered  alone,  and 
commenced  my  work.     I  did  not  expect  to  accomplish  the 
whole  at  one  visit  ;    and  therefore  left   the   initials  of  my 
christian  names,  with  the  date  for  another  time  ;    but  I  suc- 
ceeded in  cutting  the  other  letters  legibly  three  inches  long. 
The  depth  of  them  I  purpose  increasing,  as  well   as  adding 
the  date  of  the  year,  with  the  remaining  letters  —  having 
found  it  Impossible  to  accomplish  the  whole  at  one  visit.     I 
staid  a  full  hour  behind  the  water.     I  have  carefully  exam- 
ined the  rocks  behind  the  great  *  Sheet  of  Water,'  and  find 
no   indications   of   carving.       I    can,   therefore,  confidently 
assert  that  mine  is  the  first,  and,  at  this  date,  the  only  name 


hjl* 


98 


SKETCHES  OF    NIAGAKA  FALLS. 


iieiohborliood  of  the 


to  be  found  there  ;  and  Avhile   in   tl; 

Falls,    every   pillar,    rail,    staircase,    seat,    ruck  and    tree  is 

covered  with  names,  mine  stands  alone/ 

"Auf/ust  3. — My  desire  of  yesterday  is  fulfilled  :  and  I 
have  been  again  under  the  *  Sheet  of  Water,'  to  finish  cut- 
ting my  name  in  the  rock.  'I'he  direction  of  the  wind, 
though  causing  me  some  obstruction,  amply  repaid  me 
during  my  momentary  periods  of  rest,  by  occasionally  open- 
ing in  part  the  silver  curtain  of  the  waters,  and  exhibiting 
the  foaming  tide  below,  as  it  eddied  around  the  sun-lit  rocks. 
There  was  the  Table  Rock  above,  with  people  walking  on  it 
like  mere  specks  in  the  light,  the  cliffs  and  woods  all  ar- 
rayed in  the  splendor  of"a  noon-tide  sun  ;  and  then  the  veil 
was  closed,  and  I  was  shut  out  from  the  world — left  in  utter 
solitude. 

"  Fellow-travelers,  who,  like  me,  come  (o  view  scenes 
surpassing  all  others  in  grandeur  and  sublimity,  do  not  leave 
without  going  under  the  'Sheet  of  Water.'  Take  the 
advice  ef  one  who  has  endeavored  to  study  nature  in  all  her 
varying  moods.  The  way  is  safe  ;  the  entrance  only  is 
startling.  Danger  there  is  none.  If  you  have  any  enthu- 
siasm in  your  composition,  you  will  be  gratified — enchanted  ; 
if  you  have  not,  you  deserve  to  be  disappointed. 

**D.  T.  'Egertoj^, ^London,  England.*^ 
It  is  something  to  have  been  "  within  the   veil  "  at  any 
time  ;  but  he  who  has  not  penetrated  the  mystery  in  Avinter 
knows  it  only  in  part.     At  that  season  of  the  year,  you  are, 
of  course,  not  very  likely  to  emulate  Mr.  Egerton;  nor  is  it 
at  all  probable  that  you  will  stay  long  enough   to  make  a 
poem   on  the  scene   around  you.     It  is  cold  exceedingly  : 
still  a  winter  view  of  the  Falls   from  "  I'ermination  Rock," 
is  perhaps  the  most  inconceivably  luapnificent  of  any  in  the 
whole  compass  of  creation.     All   thai  the   most   exuberant 
fancy  ever  imagined  of  beauty  and  of  grandeur  falls  immea- 
surably short  of  the  reality  that  presents  iiself  to  your  view, 
while   standing   on    "Termination    Rock"    in  winter.      On 
one  hand   there   is  the  same   dark  wall  of  solid  rock  which 
you  see  in  summer,  beautifully   festooned  with   icicles  of  a 
thousand    various  shapes,  and   of  immense   magnitude ;    on 
the   other,  there   is  a  massive   wall   of  ice,   with,   here   and 


i 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGAUA  FALLS. 


99 


f  the 
fee  is 

md  I 

ciit- 

|wind, 

me 

|open- 

)iting' 

I'OcliS. 

on  it 
III   ar- 
veil 
utter 

cenes 
leave 
the 
1  her 
ly  is 
nthu- 
nted ; 

d." 
f  any 
f'inter 
I  are, 
•  is  it 
ike  a 

Dck," 
1  the 
?rant 
tnea- 
'iew, 

On 
hich 
)f  a 

on 
and 


there,  ail  aperalure  of  most  ;L;ToLt'squc  coiiforniation,  through 
which  you  can  se(3  the  rushiiio-  torrent  and  the  wreathing 
foam  ;  \yhile  over  head  the  ever  living  waters  are  rolling  on 
and  on,  intact  and  unsubdued  by  the  relentless  power  of°the 
ice-throned  monarch  of  the  season. 

After  wrapping  yourself  closely  up  in  your  cloak  —  the 
more  fur  you  have  about  you  the  better— -look  leisurely 
around  you,  if  you  did  not  do  so  previously  ,  and  you  will 
see' more  than  was  ever  "dreamed  of  in  your  philosophy." 
Everv  rock,  every  tree  and  shrub  —  nay,  every  fragment 
of  rock,  every  limb  of  tree  and  shrub,  is  pendant  with  a 
gorgeousness  and  glory  unparalleled  in  the  poet's  dr^'ams 
of  the  land  of  Fairy.  Beautiful,  exceedingly,  is  the  work- 
manship of  John  Frost  in  this  neighborhood"^;  but  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  in  spite  of  "pilot  cloth,"  flannel  and 
fur,  there  is  still,  as  in  every  human  enjoyment,  a  peg  loose — 
a  deduction  to  be  made  —  "Poor  Tom's"  a-cold." 


THE  AMERICAN  FALL. 


We  have  been  long  enough  on  one  side  of  the  river  —  let 
us  go  to  the  other.  Perhaps  the  greater  number  of  our 
friends  have  been  there  first ;  but  no  matter  for  that.  Who- 
ever has  seen  the  Falls  on  one  side,  and  not  on  the  other, 
needs  not  say  any  thing  about  them  when  he  goes  home  — 
he  knows  nothing-  of  the  matter  at  all.  It  is  of  no  moment 
whether  you  are  first  "  caught "  on  one  side  of  the  river 
or  on  the  other  ;  there  is  a  ferry,  and  a  safe  one,  just  under 
the  American  Fall ;  and  you  either  ascend  or  desct-nd,  as 
the  case  may  be,  by  a  flight  of  steps,  such  as  has  been  before 
mentioned.  Perhaps  from  no  point  is  the  American  Fall 
seen  to  greater  advantage  than  from  the  river  in  crossing 
the  Ferry.  In  a  clear  day  the  scene  is  indescribably  beau- 
tiful ;  and  if  you  have  just  been  viewing  the  British  Fall, 
the  prospect  of  the  bright  sparkling  torrent  of  water,  white 
as  un-sunned  snow,  and  studded  with  innumerable  rainbows, 
broken  into  fragments,  and  vibrating  amid  the  dashing- 
spray,  lias  an  exdiiliarating  effect  on  your  spirits,  and  con- 
tributes to  dissipate  that  undelinable  sensation  of  awe  which 
always  comes  over  the  mind,  while  contemplating  that  mag- 


100 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS, 


nificent  "  wonder  of  the  world."  Accounts  differ  as  to  the 
comparative  height  of  the  two  Falls.  One  has  been  already 
copied  ;  others  again  make  tlie  American  Fall  104  feet 
and  the  "  Crescent"  only  158  feet  high.  But  it  is  not  a 
question  of  any  moment  whatevei-.  That  petty  national 
jealousy,  or  interested  rivalry,  which  is  so  ludicrously  dis- 
played in  the  "  Guide  Books,"  caimot  add  a  foot  to  the  one 
Fall,  or  deduct  any  thing  from  the  other.  There  they  roll 
away,  side  by  side,  unconscious  alike  of  national  distinction 
and  local  prejudice,  pealing  in  unison  their  deep  monotonous 
hymn  to  the  Almiohtv  Monarch  of  the  universe. 

Although  it  is  only  from  the  Canada  side,  or  from  the 
river  at  the  Ferry,  that  a  full  front  view  of  both  the  Falls 
can  b(.'  obtained,  still  for  a  variety  of  j)rospect,  the  palm 
must  be  yielded  to  Goat  or  Iris  Island,  which  is  situated  in 
the  midst  of  the  Rapids,  and  constitutes  the  wall  of  partition 
between  the  Cataracts.  After  ascending  the  stairs  from  the 
Ferry  to  the  village  of  Niagara  Falls,  where  there  are 
several  magnificent  hotels  for  public  accommodation,  you 
reach  the  Island  by  a  wooden  bridge  thrown  across  the 
Rapids,  for  the  use  of  whicli  you  have  to  pay  25  cents. 
The  toll-keeper  has  always  on  hand  a  large  stock  of  Indian 
and  other  curiosities  for  sale.  The  uuides  are  Messrs. 
Hooker  and  Sons,  who,  with  their  assistants,  will  render  you 
prompt  and  willing  service  in  exploring  the  beauties  of  his 
island  paradise. 

At  the  lower  end  of  the  Island  there  is  a  spiral  stair-case, 
by  which  you  can  descend  to  the  margin  of  the  river  185 
feet,  along  which  there  is  a  pathway  leading  to  the  great 
Crescent,  by  which,  when  the  wind  blows  up  the  river,  you 
can  go  with  great  j^afety  and  pleasure  under  the  sheet  of 
water  ;  and  another  leading  to  one  of  the  most  stupen- 
dous scenes  in  this  interesting  locality  — the  "Cave  of  the 
Winds."  This  cave  is  situated  immediately  behind  the 
middle  Fall,  which  we  have  omitted  to  notice  particularly, 
on  account  of  its  comparative  inferiority,  though  in  any  other 
vicinity  would  of  itself  be  an  object  of  wonder.  Mr.  Par- 
sons, the  author  of  the  "  Book  of  the  Fails,"  says,  "  this 
cave  is  about  120  feet  across,  60  feet  wide,  and  100  feet 
high."      Thr    same    writer  remarks,    that    the    "astounding- 


I 


SKETUHKS    OK    N'.AGARA    FALLS. 


101 


the 
l-'ady 
feet 
jot  a 
lional 
dis- 
ojie 
roll 
lotion 
|nous 

the 
[Falls 
Ipalm 
id  in 
Lition 

the 

are 
you 

the 


roar  of  tlie  waters,  uwintj;'  to  the  echoes  or  reverberations,  is 
apparently  a  hundred  times  greater  here  than  any  where 
else;"  and  another  observes,  "it  is  said  to  be  quite  an  ad- 
venture to  go  under  the  Table  Rock  ;  it  is  a  much  greater 
one  to  visit  this  cavern."  Such,  however,  is  the  vastness,  and 
such  the  variety  of  the  scenery  in  this  neighborhood, 
that  it  is  as  idle  to  institute  comparisons  as  to  attempt 
descriptions.  Every  particular  feature  is  so  striking  per  se, 
that  it  displaces  in  a  great  degree,  the  idea  suggested  by 
another  feature  previously  contemplated. 

After  liaving  winded  your  toilsome  way  up  the  "twiddle 
stair- case,"  keep  along  the  foot-path  across  the  Island  till 
you  come  to  the  Terrapin  Bridge,  which  leads  you  to  a  stone 
tower  forty-live  feet  high,  erected  near  tlie  verge  of  the  pre- 
cipice. You  reach  the  top  of  this  tower  by  a  flight  of 
winding  steps  ;  and  there  you  behold  a  scene,  which  though 
differing  in  some  respects  from  that  seen  from  the  Table 
Rock,  is  yet  worthy  of  all  comparison,  in  so  far  as  comparison 
is  at  all  admissible.  There  is  the  headlona:  torrent  rushino- 
impetuou-ly  over  the  precipice,  far  beneath  your  feet,  and 
the  "  hell  of  waters  "  boiling,  hissing,  foaming  and  thunder- 
ing in  the  uafathomed  abyss  still  farther  down.  There,  too, 
you  have  a  partial,  yet  striking  view  of  the  "American  Fall;'* 
and  your  eye  reaches  down  the  dark  vista  of  waters,  veiled 
in  clouds  of  mist,  and  rolling  away — away,  in  peaceful  and 
unruffled  majesty,  as  if  they  never  had  been  touched  by  a 
sterner  influence  than  that  of  the  summer  breeze.  A  deep 
feeling  of  mystery,  not  unallied  with  terror,  possesses  the 
mind,  and  you  cling  with  involuntary  and  unconscious 
tenacity  to  the  railing  which  surrounds  the  vibrating  platform 
on  which  you  stand. 

Go  round  the  Island  and  you  w^ill  see  the  adjoining  "  Moss 
Islands,"  and  the  turbulent  water,  struggling  and  rushing 
with  fearful  velocity  between  them,  The  trees  are  literally 
hacked  with  names  and  initials  —  some  of  them  so  far  up 
that  the  trouble  of  inserting  them  there,  is  but  poorly  com- 
pe.isated  by  the  vague  and  evanescent  immortality  thus 
obtained.  Every  seat  and  every  wall  —  nay,  every  rail  and 
stray  log  of  timber,  is  crowded  with  the  same  evidences  of 
"  this  longing  after  immortality."     De  ^ustibua  nvn  est  dis- 


102 


SKKTCHKS  OB'  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


iJ 


putandum;  but  surely  the  aggregate  of  the  time  consumed 
in  this  idle  and  unavailing  labor  constitutes  a  large  portion  of 
the  sum  of  human  existence,  and  might  be  more  profitably 
as  well  as  pleasantly  spent  in  some  other  way.  It  is  easy  to 
write  one's  name  in  a  Register  or  an  Album,  of  which  there 
is  an  abundant  store  on  both  sides  of  the  River  ;  and  it  will 
just  answer  the  purpose  as  well  ;  for  unless  you  have  done 
something  more  worthy  of  note  than  merely  going  to  see  the 
Falls,  the  inscription  of  your  name  on  a  tree  or  rock  will  not 
perpetuate  your  memory.  The  name  may  indeed  remain  ; 
but  who  can  tell  after  a  i'ew  brief  years,  to  whom  it  belonged  ? 

From  the  upper  end  of  the  Island  you  have,  perhaps,  one 
of  the  best  views  of  the  Rapids  that  can  be  obtained  — 
certainly  the  best  on  the  American  side.  But  it  is  undoubt- 
edly in  the  neighborhood  of  Mr.  Street's  house  on  the  British 
shore  that  they  present  the  most  vivid  picture  in  miniature  of 
the  ocean  lashed  into  fury  by  the  tempest.  Not  that  their 
power  and  velocity  are  less  obviously  resistless  here  ;  but 
the  view  is  more  obstructed  and  not  so  extensive.  If  the 
grandeur,  however,  is  less  impressive,  the  variety  of  beauty 
is  much  more  enchanting.  This  Island,  in  short,  is  one  of 
the  most  attractive  and  delicious  retreats  in  the  world  ;  and 
he  who  traverses  its  solitudes  on  a  summer  morning,  or  under 
the  more  solemn  influence  of  an  autumnal  moon,  in  early 
life, —  ere  the  withering  touch  of  worldly  care  and  worldly 
sorrow  shall  have  deadened  the  perception  of  glory  and  of 
beauty  in  his  bosom,  will  have  one  green  spot  the  more 
whereon  memory  may  repose  in  all  his  after  years  of 
wanderinji  and  weariness. 

Why  should  we  tell  you  of  a  paper-mill  and  a  poultry-yard 
in  such  a  place  as  this?  It  is  rather  an  unpoetic  blending 
of  the  utile  cum  duke  ;  but  there  they  are,  nevertheless,  on 
this  very  Island'  They  are  on  the  outskirts  of  it,  however, 
and  the  water-girdled  paradise,  is,  in  general,  left  undese- 
crated  by  the  beggarly  influence  of  modern  ultraism  —  a 
fitting  shrine  for  love,  poetry,  or  any  other  kind  of  moping 
madness. 

"  O!  that  (Am /aiand  wore  my  dwoUing-place, 

With  one  fiir  »piiit  for  my  minister  ; 
Where  I  might  all  forget  the  human  racB, 

And,  hating  no  one,  Idve  only  her/' 


f 

4! 


SKETCHES    OF    MAUAKA    FALLS. 


103 


led 
\n  of 
lably 

\y  to 

)iere 

will 

lone 

the 

not 

pin  ; 

•ed? 


But  it  may  not  be  ;  lor  to  say  nothing  of  th(3  "  fair  spirit," 
we  are  not  likely  to  "  f(>rget  the  human  race"  here,  seeing  all 
the  world,  wiih  his  wife  and  daughters,  would  visit  us  every 
summer. 

VV^e  might  swell  our  book  by  telling  you  a  thousand  things 
about  the  Falls,  which  you  have  doulitle^s  heard  and  read  of 
before  ;  of  this  vessel  and  the  other  being  sent  over  the  cata- 


ract, with  bears,  o-eese,  A:e.,  as 


passe 


nuers  :  of  une  "  startling 


incident,"  and  another  "fri_htful  occurrence,"  such  as  tSam 
Patch  having  leaped  into  the  Fall  here,  and  William  Cham- 
bers being  carried  over  it  there,  one  stormy  night  in  a  canoe, 
and  disappearing  forever  ;  and  we  might  make  a  v?ry  pretty 
romance  out  of  the  strange  but  true  story  of  Francis  Abbot, 
the  "  hermit,"  who  lived  in  utter  seclusion  for  two  years  on 
the  Island,  played  a  guitar,  wrote  Latin,  lived  on  water  mixed 
with  flour,  and  iinally  was  drowned  when  bathing.  But  all 
these  things  have  already  been  chronicled  in  the  "  Guide 
Books."  We  merely  hint  at  them,  and  refer  you  for  further 
information  to  those  whose  business  it  is  to  furnish  it. 
1  We  close  our  remarks  on  this  locality  with  an  extract  from 

^  a  M.  S.  description  of  the  Falls  by  Mr.  Edward  Lane  : — 

I  "  Luna  Island  is  connected  with   Go  it  Island  by  means  of 

f  two  pieces  of  timber  laid  across,   and   within  a  few  yards  of 

the  brow  of  the  Cataract  or  Centre  Fall,  which  is  about  54 
feet  wide.  Looking  up  between  the  Islands,  this  small 
branch  of  the  river  appears  to  be  issuing  out  of  the  wood, 
and  coming  down  a  flight  of  steps,  some  eight  or  ten  feet 
distant  from  each  other,  forming,  if  not  so  sublime,  at  least 
as  beautiful  a  view  as  that  of  the  Falls  themselves.  From 
the  Island,  which  is  about  30  yards  in  width,  a  side  view  of 
the  American  Fall  may  be  obtained.  From  its  edge  that 
which  in  front  appears  to  be  straight,  or  nearly  so,  assumes 
almost  as  much  the  shape  of  a  curve  as  the  G^rand  Crescent 
itself.  From  this  point,  too,  when  the  sun  is  shining,  and 
has  reached  sufficient  altitude,  a  beautiful  rainbow  may  be 
seen  immediately  beneath  the  feet  of  the  spectator  ;  such  as 
is,  indeed,  presented  at  every  point  of  the  Falls  under  similar 
circumstances.  The  moon  also  by  night  produces  the  barae 
phbnomouun,  while  the  white  foam  of  the  falling  waters,  the 


104 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


ascendino;  mist  ;iiid  agitated  bosom  of  the  rivt-r,  assume  the 
appearance  of  Uving  liquid  crystal." 


MINOR  CURIOSITIES. 


THE    WHIRLPOOL. 

It  is  the  same  with  this  as  with  other  wonders  of  the  Nia- 
gara River — personal  inspection  is  the  thing.  Books  are 
mere  transcripts  of  impressions  made  on  tiie  minds  of  their 
respective  writers.  Still  it  may  be  well  enough,  after  you 
have  seen  with  your  own  eyes,  to  lisien  to  what  others  think 
and  say  of  what  you  have  thus  seen  ;  but  we  hold  it  as  a  good 
general  rule  to  look  lirst,  and  read  the  book,  whether  it  calls 
itself  a  "  Guide"  or  not,  afterwards.  But  we  are  forgetting 
the  Whirlpool.  Having  no  knack  at  what  is  called  descrip- 
tion, and  being  withal  "dead  sweer,"  as  well  as  "wretched  ill 
o't,"  we  again  borrow  as  follows  from  Mr.  Lane's  manuscript: 

"  Once  arrived  at  the  water's  edge — no  matter  by  what 
means — the  eye  is  directed  to  the  Whirlpool,  which  seems  to 
be  a  sort  of  natural  basin,  or  '' half- way  house,'  where  the 
river  may  rest  and  refresh  itself  after  its  recent  exertions.* 
It  is  nearly  circular,  and,  as  far  as  I  can  judge,  about  a  mile 
in  circumference. 

"  From  the  appearance  of  the  land  upon  the  hill,  I  am  led 
to  imagine  that  the  Falls  were  anciently  situated  here  ;  and 
have  gradually  receded  to  the  place  at  which  we  now  find 
them.(?)  Unfortunately  on  my  visit,  the  Whirlpool  was 
about  five  feet  below  its  usual  level  ;  still  it  possessed  suffi- 
cient attractions  to  repay  me  amply  for  my  trouble.  A  tree 
which  had  either  been  precipitated  over  the  cataract,  or  had 
accidentally  fallen  into  the  river  below  it,  continued  for  two 
hours — the  duration  of  my  visit — most  perseveringly  per- 
forming a  rotary  motion  around  a  circle  a  furlong  in  diameter. 

'*The  river  at  this  place  turns  abruptly  round  a  point,  as 
if  with  an  intention  to  retrace  its  course,  as  part  of  the  cur- 
rent dashes  suddenly  round  and  pursues  its  onward  way, 
while  another  portion^  obstructed  m  its  progress  by  the  inter- 

!*■■■      itifcWM  I    K    I     I  ■      Ml        ■■       ■■      -M^.,    iH^iMii.  ■  i^.m^iii     ■ ■—  iW  ^.iiii  ■■■■ ■  -      .HMW^ I.I  

*  This  '*  halfway  hiAiee  "  ^Wmo  to  be  rather  a  diflWderly   f^tw^-p7Hrce.— 'Ed. 


H 


SKKTCHEa    OF    MAGAKA    FALLS. 


105 


le  the 


Nia- 
:s  are 

their 
r  you 

tliink 
I  good 
t  calls 


*i 


vening  promontory,  recoils,  and  produces  the  eddying  of  the 
waters,  called  the  'Whirlpool.'  Numerous  accidents  have 
taken  place  here.  Tlio  places  of  iiiterrnrnt  of  three  individu- 
als were  pointed  out  to  me.  (Some  22  years  ago,  (from 
1835,)  when  the  British  were  stockading  Fort  George,  one 
Macdonald,  in  Government  employ,  was  engaged  with  others 
in  raftino'  limber  down  the  Nianara.  The  crib  on  which  he 
ha[)pened  to  be  situated  broke  from  its  moorings;  and  for 
several  hours  the  unfortunate  Scot,  with  no  other  music  but 
the  roaring  of  the  waters  and  his  own  oroans,  and  without 
the  slightest  exertions  on  his  part,  performed  a  dance  some- 
what difterent  from  the  'highland  fling,'  which,  however 
novel,  he  found  any  thing  but  entertaining.  To  rescue  him 
from  his  perilous  situation  a  boat  was  brought  by  land  from 
Queenston,  with  the  intention  of  lowering  it  down  the  preci- 
pice ;  but  fortunately  at  the  moment  of  its  arrival,  Macdonald, 
by  means  of  a  rope,  which  had  been  thrown  to  him,  was 
extricated." 

In  any  other  vicinity  the  Whirlpool,  and  indeed  the  whole 
of  the  scenery  on  the  bank  of  the  river  from  the  Falls  to 
Queenston,  would  be  objects  of  attracti'»n  to  sLrrtng(>rs.  As 
It  is,  all  .^iiould  be  viewed  Independently  of  the  natural 
characteristics  of  the  locality,  it  abounds  with  historical  asso- 
ciations of  batile  and  of  blood — of  death  and  desolation. 
From  the  top  of  Brock's  monument  on  Queenston  mountain, 
there  is  a  prospect,  perhaps  unparalleled  for  beauty  and 
extent  in  North  America.  There  is  the  pure  pellucid  Nia- 
gara winding  its  circuitous  way  beneath  your  feet,  as  calmly 
and  peacefully  as  if  its  waters  had  never  known  the  turbu- 
lence and  turmoil  of  the  Falls  above  ;  there  is  the  deep  blue 
Ontario  in  the  distance,  with  its  placid  bosom  studded  with 
numerous  merchant  vessels,  and  the  darker,  but  more  rapidly 
shifting  forms  of  passage  shi|)s,  pro[)elled  by  the  invisible 
agency  of  the  great  magician,  steam;  there  is  thtr  rural  ham- 
let embowered' amid  ancestral  trees,  the  white-walled  village, 
the  rising  city,  and  the  interminahio  forest  stretching  far  and 
wide  into  the  dim  obscurity  of  disiaiice. 


106 


SKETCHES    OF    ^'IAGAKA    FALLS. 


THE  KERRY— CLIFTON  HOUSE. 


After  the  notice  already  taken  of  the  Ferry,  it  wi!'  be  suffi- 
cient to  state  that  there  is  an  experienced  Ferryman  on  each 
side  of  the  river  ;  there  is  a  little  inconvenience  arising-  from 
spray  for  part  of  the  way  across  when  the  wind  is  blowing- 
down  tlie  river,  but  there  is  not  the  least  danger. 

The  Clifton  House  adjoining  the  Ferry  on  the  Canada  side, 
is  a  large  and  splendid  hotel.  The  view  of  the  Falls  from  the 
galleries  is  magnificent;  and  the  house  within  affords  ample 
accommodation  for  travelers. 


THE  BURNING  SPRING. 


Having  called  again  at  Barnett's  Museum,  where,  by  the 
way,  there  is,  besides  the  creature  comforts  formerly  men- 
tioned, also  an  assonraont  of  mineral  specimens,  petrifactions, 
walking  canes,  &c.,  for  snle,  you  may  pay  a  visit  to  the 
"Burning  Spring,"  which  is  about  a  mile  South  of  the  Falls, 
where  a  well  is  enclosed  in  a  small  wooden  building  ;  and 
you  are  here,  as  at  the  other  points  of  particular  attraction, 
accommodated  with  a  ffuide,  who  takes  a  lii>hted  candle  with 
him,  on  applying  which  to  the  orifice  of  a  metal  tube  fixed  in 
the  bottom  of  an  inverted  wooden  vessel  which  covers  the 
spring,  a  bright  flame  is  emitted.  A  writer.  Avho  examined 
the  place  minutely,  says,  "  There  are  two  other  similar  springs 
some  distance  farther  up  the  river,  tiie  sites  of  which  are 
known  to  but  few.  Therefore,  from  the  consideration  that  a 
large  quantity  of  this  sulpluirente  hydrogen  gas  is  emitted 
from  a  comj^aratively  small  (luantity  of  water,  it  is  probable 
that  a  sufficient  body  of  gas  might  be  collected  to  be  applica- 
ble to  purposes  of  utility."  There  were  once  grist  and  saw 
mills  on  this  spot  ;  but  they  were  destroyed  during  the  last 
American  war,  and  have  never  been  rebuilt.  There  are  also 
sulphur  springs  oozing  from  the  rocks  behind  the  *'  Sheet  of 
Water." 


! 


i! 


i 


u 


SKKTtllES    OF    KIAGAKA    FALLS. 


PASSAGE  BEHIND  THE  CATARAC^T. 


107 


It  is  not  perhaps  ocnenilly  known,  that  Mr.  Teiomas  Bar- 
NETT,  the  genth-nianiy  proprietor  of  the  Museum  and  Public 
Garden  on  the  Canada  side,  lias  also  for  some  time  past,  had 
the  entire  charge  of  the  house  at  the  head  of  tlie  stairs  lead- 
ing to  the  passage  behind  the  great  Falls  to  "  Termination 
Hock."  Mr.  B.  during  a  residence  of  more  than  IG  years  at 
the  Falls,  by  his  uniform,  correct  deportment,  has  won  for 
himself  a  reputation  as  enviable  as  it  is  deserved.  His 
charges  are  uniform  and  moderate,  and  his  guide  behind  the 
great  sheet  is  always  to  be  depended  upon.  We  make  this 
mention  as  an  act  of  justice  to  Mr.  Barnett,  the  more  particu- 
larly, as  in  former  years  the  passage  behind  the  sheet  was  in 
the  charge  of  a  person  whose  charges  and  conduct  were  not 
of  the  kind  calculated  to  win  conlidence  or  gain  good  will  ; 
and  many  persons  have  been  detei-red  from  visiting  this  point, 
believing  the  same  objections  to  still  exist. — Buffalo  Com- 
mercial Advertiser. 


CONCLUSION. 

We  might  protract  our  intercourse  with  you  a</  Uhitvm,  if 
we  were  vour  professional  guide  ;  but  we  leave  yon  in  charge 
of  the  initiated,  who  will  tell  you  all  about  the  battle  grounds, 
etc.,  in  the  neighborhcjod  of  the  Falls.  The  history  of  this 
frontier  is  mon^  deepl}'  written  in  blood  than  that  of  any 
other  portion  of  Upper  Canada.  Y.\ew  r«'cently  it  has  been 
the  theatre  of  numerous  acts  of  coiillagralion  an!  robbery, 
and  one  atrotidus  nniidir — that  of  Captain  Usher,  who  was 
roused  from  his  bed  at  d(  ad  of  night,  by  marked  assas-ins, 
and  deliberately  shot  in  his  own  house.  All  these  deeds  of 
violence  are  supjuised  to  originate  from  the  late  uidiappy  and 
insane  atten)j)t  of  a  ))ortion  of  the  people  of  the  Province,  led 
on  by  a  few  turbulent  and  ambitious  demagogues,  to  dissever 
the  connection  of  these  Colonies  with  the  Mother  Country. 
We  might  tell  y(»u  about  tlu!  occupation  of  Navy  Island  by 
Mackenzie  and  liis  band  of  outlaws  :   the  burninii  of  the  Caru- 


108 


SKIOTCHES    OP^    NIAdAliA    FALLS. 


line,  and  a  number  of"  other  matters  of  local  interest;  but 
they  are  recorded  in  th(^  journals  of  liie  day,  and  will  doubt- 
less in  duo  time  appear  oi\  the  pa;>-e  of  history.  The  student 
of  nature  can  have  little  gratiticition  in  contemplating  scenes 
of  slaughter  and  strife;  and  there  needs  not  the  adventitious 
aid  of  historical  recollection  to  enkindle  the  devotion  of  the 
pilgrim  who  comes  from  afar  to  worship  in  this  sublime  and 
solitary  temple  of  the  Eternal. 

Our  task  is  now  accomplished.  "  What  is  writ  is  writ — 
would  it  were  worthier !"  In  parting  with  our  fair  and  gentle 
readers,  perhaps  forever,  we  wish 

"To  each  and  all  a  fair  good-night, 
And  rosy  dreams  and  slumbers  light." 


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